Following Liverpool’s failure to secure a spot in the upcoming season’s Champions League, forward Mohamed Salah conveyed his deep sorrow, stating that he is “devastated” by the club’s missed opportunity. He further emphasized that there are “absolutely no excuses” for this outcome.

Salah took to social media to share his sentiments shortly after Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea confirmed Liverpool’s fifth-place finish, which relegates them to competing in the Europa League for the next season.

“We let you [fans] and ourselves down,” said Egypt international Salah, 30.

In a late surge to secure fourth place, Liverpool triumphed in seven out of their last eight matches. However, their inconsistent form throughout much of the season prior to this remarkable run proved insurmountable.

Meanwhile, Manchester United only required a single point in their penultimate home game against Chelsea to solidify their place in the Champions League. By doing so, they will join the ranks of Manchester City, Arsenal (in second place), and Newcastle United as England’s representatives in Europe’s premier competition for the upcoming season.

“We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed,” said Salah, who was part of the Liverpool team that won the tournament in 2018-19 and lost last year’s final to Real Madrid.

“We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum.

“I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post.”

Liverpool’s campaign began with a promising victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield. However, their Premier League performance during the initial stages faltered, as they managed to win just two of their first eight matches.

Their struggles predominantly occurred in away fixtures, as evidenced by three of their eight away defeats coming against teams fighting against relegation: Nottingham Forest, Wolves, and Bournemouth. In the league, their sole home defeat was against the struggling Leeds United.

In the current season’s Champions League, Liverpool faced a resounding defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in the round of 16. Additionally, they exited both the FA Cup and League Cup in the fourth round, succumbing to Brighton and Manchester City, respectively.

Mohamed Salah, who inked a lucrative three-year contract extension with Liverpool last summer, has netted a total of 19 league goals this season. Among these, six were scored in 14 games preceding the 2022 World Cup, while the remaining 13 came in 23 games following the tournament.

‘I saw Salah in the canteen and he is smiling’

Manager Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool “did not deliver what everybody wanted” this season but that there are reasons for optimism after a strong end to the campaign.

“This season has not been historically good. But since we had a training camp in Dubai after the World Cup, not everything has been perfect but the points we have collected have been pretty good,” he said.

“If we could have done that all season, we’d be in a different place. So, of course there are reasons for optimism.

“The atmosphere our people created in the last home game [against Aston Villa], the way the club said farewell to the players who are leaving, all of these things are the basis for a fantastic future.”

Asked about Salah’s social media post, Klopp added: “In the world of social media, so many bad things happen but that wasn’t one of them.

“It was a normal description of his situation. I just saw him in the canteen and he is smiling; I didn’t ask him why, but that is his mood.”