Why isn’t Mohamed Salah playing for Liverpool against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League match?
Liverpool are set to visit Germany to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 3 of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League at Deutsche Bank Park, looking to turn their current losing streak around. However, when the lineups were revealed, fans were shocked to see star forward Mohamed Salah left out of the starting XI.
The Reds have been enduring one of their worst stretches in recent years, heading into the game against Frankfurt after four consecutive defeats across the Premier League and Champions League. In such a critical scenario, Salah’s presence on the bench has raised eyebrows among fans.
Mohamed Salah will not start for Liverpool against Frankfurt due to a tactical decision. Head coach Arne Slot has opted to tweak his system, selecting Cody Gakpo on the left, Hugo Ekitike on the right, and marquee signing Alexander Isak as the lone No. 9 leading the line, leaving the Egyptian star on the bench.
The Egyptian forward was also left out of the starting lineup in Liverpool’s previous Champions League match against Galatasaray, coming on as a substitute for Cody Gakpo in the 62nd minute. However, this dip in form marks the first time since joining the club in 2017 that Salah has started on the bench in back-to-back Champions League fixtures for Liverpool.
From a Ballon d’Or contender to a slow start of season
Despite winning only the Premier League title in the 2024-25 campaign, Mohamed Salah still managed to earn a spot in the 2025 Ballon d’Or conversation after producing 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 appearances. Following his contract renewal with the Reds and a fourth-place finish in the Ballon d’Or voting, his form has suffered a noticeable setback.
So far in the 2025-26 season, Salah has featured in 11 matches across all competitions but has managed just three goals and three assists. The winger is currently enduring one of the longest goal droughts of his Liverpool career, five games without finding the back of the net, with his last goal coming against Atlético Madrid on September 17.