Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah expressed his heartbreak after the club failed to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, describing the situation as “devastating” and adding, “there’s absolutely no excuse for this.” The Egypt international shared his feelings on social media shortly after Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Chelsea confirmed Liverpool’s fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
“This season, we let you [fans] and ourselves down,” Salah wrote. Despite a strong late push, winning seven of their last eight league games, Liverpool could not overcome their inconsistent form earlier in the campaign. As a result, the Reds will compete in next season’s Europa League instead of Europe’s top competition.
Salah, 30, highlighted the disappointment, pointing to the club’s high standards: “We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed. We are Liverpool, and qualifying for the competition is the bare minimum. I am sorry, but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post.”
Liverpool began the season promisingly, lifting the Community Shield after defeating Manchester City, but a poor start in the league saw them win only two of their first eight matches. Away form was also inconsistent, with defeats against struggling teams like Nottingham Forest, Wolves, and Bournemouth. Home defeats to Leeds United and other underperforming sides compounded the problem.
The Reds’ European campaign also ended in disappointment, with elimination by Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16, and exits from the FA Cup and League Cup at the hands of Brighton and Manchester City, respectively.
Salah, who signed a lucrative three-year contract last summer, still managed an impressive personal campaign, scoring 19 Premier League goals—six before the 2022 World Cup and 13 afterward in 23 games. However, even his goals were not enough to secure Champions League football for Liverpool.
