Uncertainty continues to surround Egyptian star Mohamed Salah's involvement in Trabzonspor's upcoming match against Finnish side KuPS, scheduled for Thursday evening in the opening league-phase round of the 2026-2027 UEFA Conference League.

Although Salah has been included in Trabzonspor's squad for the European fixture, his place in the starting lineup remains uncertain after German head coach Thomas Reis declined to reveal his final decision during the pre-match press conference.

The uncertainty is mainly linked to the artificial playing surface at KuPS's stadium, as well as Trabzonspor's demanding match schedule, which has encouraged the coaching staff to carefully assess their options before making a final decision.

Artificial Turf Raises Questions Over Salah

Thomas Reis addressed Mohamed Salah's situation during his pre-match press conference, confirming that all members of his squad are available for selection but refusing to give a clear answer about the Egyptian forward's involvement.

The German coach acknowledged the importance of questions surrounding Salah, particularly among Egyptian supporters, but explained that he would wait until matchday before deciding on his starting lineup.

Reis also highlighted the challenges of playing on artificial turf, explaining that Trabzonspor must prepare not only for their Finnish opponents but also for the unusual playing conditions.

To support his point, the coach referred to the difficulties Bayern Munich had experienced in a recent match played on a similar surface, suggesting that artificial turf can create problems even for experienced teams.

His comments do not suggest that Salah is injured, especially as Reis confirmed that every player is fit and available.

However, the coaching staff may decide against starting the Egyptian forward to manage his workload and avoid unnecessary risks.

Trabzonspor are currently facing a busy schedule, with matches taking place approximately every three days.

This makes squad rotation particularly important, especially with a major Turkish league fixture against Besiktas approaching.

Reis stressed that his main priority is to select the strongest possible lineup to secure a positive result against KuPS, but he refused to identify which players would start.

As a result, Salah could either feature from the opening whistle or begin the match on the bench, with the final decision expected shortly before kickoff.

Latest News

Five Egyptians Storm Egypt Open Squash Semifinals as Bad Weather Disrupts TournamentSalah row: Can Hossam Hassan rebuild trust, or should he go?

Predicted Lineup and Match Details

According to pre-match expectations, Trabzonspor could field several regular first-team players, with Mohamed Salah potentially joining Paul Onuachu and Aral Simsir in attack.

Trabzonspor's predicted lineup against KuPS is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Onana.

Defenders: Wagner Pina, Cenk Ozkacar, Samet Akaydin, Mustafa Kuzey Akcay.

Midfielders: Batista Mendy, Benjamin Bouchouari, Ozan Tufan.

Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Paul Onuachu, Aral Simsir.

The match between KuPS and Trabzonspor is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, at 7:45 PM Cairo time, as part of the opening league-phase round of the UEFA Conference League.

Trabzonspor will be looking to make a strong start to their European campaign after dropping into the Conference League following their elimination from Europa League qualifying.

The Turkish side suffered a 5-0 aggregate defeat against Hungarian club Ferencvaros, making the upcoming competition an opportunity to recover and build momentum on the European stage.

Thursday's encounter is therefore important for Trabzonspor, who hope to secure a positive result away from home before returning to domestic competition and preparing for their anticipated meeting with Besiktas.

Meanwhile, Salah's supporters will be closely watching the official team announcement to discover whether the Egyptian international starts the match or is kept among the substitutes.

For now, the final decision rests with Thomas Reis, who has kept his options open ahead of an important European test.