Pep Guardiola issues heartwarming tribute to Liverpool over Mo Salah’s legacy ahead of exit | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a glowing tribute to Mohamed Salah, ahead of the Liverpool forward’s Anfield exit at the end of the ongoing season.

The 33-year-old ‘Egyptian king’ sent shockwaves through the footballing world during the March international break after officially confirming in a statement that the ongoing 2025/26 campaign would be his ninth and final season on Merseyside.

Since arriving from AS Roma in the summer of 2017, Mo Salah has been one of the primary architects of the modern rivalry between City and Liverpool, netting 13 goals and eight assists in 25 appearances against the Blues and helping the Reds to two Premier League titles.

Despite the fierce competitive tension between the two clubs, Pep Guardiola has never hidden his admiration for a player who sits third on Liverpool’s all-time top goalscorers list with 255 goals.

Salah? ‘One of the greatest’, says Pep

And, speaking to reporters ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, Pep Guardiola was quizzed for his thoughts on Salah’s legacy in English football ahead of the Egyptian’s Anfield departure this summer.

“One of the greatest; the numbers, the consistency – what a player,” Guardiola glowed.

“An incredible human being, goals and assists, absolutely a legend for Liverpool Football Club, but for the Premier League for all he has done.”

The Catalan tactician continued, “It’s a good moment to say goodbye to him [during the upcoming FA Cup clash] in this country tomorrow [on Saturday].

“He deserves an incredible recognition for what he has given to world football, especially in this country.”

The timing of the tribute is particularly poignant as City themselves arrive at this fixture with fresh silverware, following their 2-0 Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal in late March.

While Nico O’Reilly’s brace at Wembley secured the season’s first major trophy for City, Liverpool travel to the Etihad knowing the FA Cup represents their most realistic path to a trophy in Mo Salah’s farewell season.

While the Etihad Stadium faithful will be focused on Manchester City’s hunt for a domestic cup double, the high-stakes nature of the quarter-final ensures that Mo Salah’s final appearance for Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium will be a central theme of the contest.