Firmino: Mane and Salah were not friends

Forward of Saudi club Al-Ahli, Roberto Firmino, talked about his former Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

«They were never best friends; each kept to themselves. It was rare to see them talking, and I'm not sure if it had to do with the rivalry between Egypt and Senegal in African competitions. I really don't know.

I never took anyone's side. I tried to pass to both of them; for me, the team's victory was the most important. Many focused on what I brought to the attacking trio tactically, but perhaps equally important was the human factor: I managed to unite them on the field.

If I hadn't done that, it would have been nothing but a storm between them on the field. Perhaps that's why Klopp often replaced me.

The three of us had very different characters, and the boss knew that I wouldn't throw a bottle on the ground out of disappointment or something like that. If it bothered me, I would talk to him privately later. When a substitution was needed, it was easier to take off Bobby than to upset either of them.

Everyone, including other players, knew how it worked. It was a secret at Liverpool that was guarded worse than anything else—naturally, nobody ever asked for my opinion. That's my nature—the team comes first. The boss knew it», - wrote the Brazilian in his book «Yes, Sir: My Liverpool Years».

It's worth noting that this summer, the Brazilian forward left Liverpool as a free agent and signed a contract with the Saudi club Al-Ahli.