Zenit defender says Mohamed Salah’s absence was felt in Trabzonspor friendly

Zenit defender Dmitry Shumikhin said the Russian club would have liked to see Mohamed Salah involved in their friendly against Trabzonspor.

Trabzonspor were beaten 3-0 by Zenit in the preparation match, which was played ahead of the Turkish club’s return to domestic league action following the international break.

“We were not really waiting to see who would come and who would be absent, but we really would have liked to see Mohamed Salah during our friendly match against Trabzonspor,” Shumikhin told Russian broadcaster Match TV.

Salah was unavailable because he is currently with Egypt’s national team for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Malawi.

Shumikhin praised Trabzonspor despite their defeat, describing them as one of Turkey’s leading sides and a demanding opponent.

“They are a great team and one of the best teams in Turkey,” he said. “They played a strong match against us, their attack is very good and they are a very tough opponent.”

The Zenit defender also explained why the fixture was particularly useful to his side as they prepare for their Russian league campaign.

“It was important for us to play this match because, in terms of their organisation, Trabzonspor are similar to CSKA Moscow, our opponents in the Russian league,” he added.