Martin Dubravka: I didn’t mean to injure Mohamed Salah

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday May 07, 2019. 12:15

Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka says he had no intention of injuring Mohamed Salah, and has revealed that he apologised to the Egyptian star after the match.

Liverpool forward Salah suffered a heavy collision with the United goalkeeper in the Reds’ 3-2 win at St James’ Park this past weekend.

Though the Egyptian international seems to have no lasting injury from the incident, concussion protocols have ruled him out of Liverpool’s return leg match against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League tonight.

“I didn’t hit him with my hand, I didn’t punch him. It might have been my hip [which connected with him]. I wasn’t sure if it was me or someone else,” Dubravka said of the coming together between himself and Salah.

“But I went to him to say sorry. But I was not trying to injure him; I am not that kind of guy. I felt sorry for him but I was just focused on the ball. Sometimes you can’t watch everything.

“He answered something [when we asked if he was OK]. But I don’t know if he was out for five or six seconds, because Fabian [Schar] asked him if he was all right and he didn’t answer him, so in that moment we were a little bit scared about if he was OK. But, after one minute, he responded.

“I asked also Fabian, because I was not sure if it was me or him. Fabian said it was probably me with my hip. But I am happy that he is OK,” he added.

Salah is likely to return for Liverpool in their final Premier League game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday 12 May.