Trabzonspor lose Salah for Drogheda United and Zenit friendlies due to national team duty

Mohamed Salah is set to miss Trabzonspor’s planned international-break friendlies as the Egyptian forward prepares to report for national team duty with the Pharaohs.

The Turkish club has announced two friendly fixtures during the upcoming international windows, giving the squad an opportunity to maintain its rhythm while domestic competition takes a break.

Trabzonspor will first face Drogheda United on Thursday, October 1, before travelling to Russia for a meeting with Zenit St. Petersburg on Sunday, November 15.

Salah, however, is unlikely to be available for either fixture because of his expected involvement with Egypt.

The 34-year-old remains a key figure for the Pharaohs and is expected to be selected for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches during both international breaks.

Egypt are scheduled to face Angola on September 23 before taking on South Sudan as part of their qualifying campaign. Salah is also expected to return to international duty in November when Egypt face Malawi on November 11 and 15.

His anticipated absence will come at an inconvenient time for Trabzonspor, who are still trying to find stability after a difficult start to the campaign.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the club, Salah has made an encouraging individual start since arriving in Turkey. The experienced forward has already scored three goals for Trabzonspor and is gradually becoming an important attacking outlet for the team.

His performances have increased expectations surrounding his first season in Turkish football, particularly after his high-profile departure from Liverpool.

Salah joined Trabzonspor during the summer as a free agent after bringing his long association with Liverpool to an end. He signed a two-year contract with the Turkish club, marking a new chapter in a career that has already included successful spells in England, Italy, Switzerland and Egypt.

The Egyptian’s arrival was regarded as a major coup for Trabzonspor, with his experience at the highest level expected to provide both quality and leadership to the squad.

However, his international commitments mean Trabzonspor will have to plan around his absence whenever Egypt’s fixtures coincide with the club’s schedule.

The situation could also prove challenging given the changes taking place at Trabzonspor. The club recently dismissed Fatih Tekke following the defeat to Amed Sportif in the third round of the Turkish league, adding further uncertainty to the team’s preparations.

While the friendly against Drogheda United will provide an opportunity for the squad to remain active without Salah, the November meeting with Zenit will offer another test of Trabzonspor’s depth.

For Salah, the priority will be balancing his responsibilities at club and international level. Having started positively with Trabzonspor, he will be hoping to continue his scoring form while also helping Egypt achieve their qualification objectives.

His experience remains crucial to the Pharaohs, meaning Trabzonspor will have to accept that their star player could regularly be unavailable during international windows.

With three goals already to his name for his new club, Salah will now turn his attention to maintaining his form for both Trabzonspor and Egypt as he begins another demanding chapter of his career.