Mohamed Salah earns Trabzonspor starting role after impressive Kasımpasa debut

Mohamed Salah is expected to make his first start for Trabzonspor in Thursday’s Europa League play-off first leg against Hungarian side Ferencvaros, after his substitute appearance against Kasımpasa exceeded the club’s coaching staff’s expectations.

According to Turkish newspaper Haber61, the Egypt international is now in line to be included in Trabzonspor’s starting XI for the European tie. The match will be played on Thursday, with a place in the Europa League at stake over the two legs.

Salah began the Kasımpasa match on the bench before being introduced in the 58th minute. His performance impressed the coaching staff, particularly his physical condition and the quality of his attacking movement during his first appearance in a Trabzonspor shirt.

The report said his display was viewed as better than expected. Salah showed a clear desire to carry the ball forward, made regular movements inside the penalty area and repeatedly attempted to link up with his team-mates.

Those aspects of his performance have apparently encouraged Trabzonspor’s coaching staff to consider him ready for a starting role against Ferencvaros. The proposed selection would represent a significant step forward for Salah after his initial outing as a second-half substitute.

However, the club believes the forward’s understanding with the rest of the squad will continue to develop gradually. Trabzonspor brought in a large number of new signings during the summer transfer window, meaning the players still require additional training and match time to build the best possible understanding on the pitch.

Salah attempted to establish a partnership with striker Paul Onuachu on several occasions during the Kasımpasa match. Some of those moves did not develop as intended, but the coaching staff expects that relationship to improve with more time together.

The current plan is for Salah to start against Ferencvaros, although the precise number of minutes he will play has not yet been decided. That decision will be made by the coaching staff during the match, taking into account his physical readiness.

Trabzonspor will therefore approach the European fixture with Salah expected to take on a more prominent role than he did in his debut. His introduction from the bench against Kasımpasa provided the first indication of his current condition, while Thursday’s match is set to offer the coaching staff a fuller assessment of how he can contribute from the opening whistle.

For now, the club’s position reflects confidence in Salah’s early impact, while also recognising that he and his new team-mates need further training and competitive minutes to develop their attacking coordination.