Salah 'Devastated' as Liverpool Miss Out on Champions League

Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. Credit: AFP Photo
Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. Credit: AFP Photo
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Salah 'Devastated' as Liverpool Miss Out on Champions League

Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. Credit: AFP Photo
Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. Credit: AFP Photo

Mohamed Salah said there was "no excuse" for Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons after Manchester United secured the final place in the Premier League top four on Thursday.

United's 4-1 win over Chelsea ensured the Red Devils will join Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle as England's representatives in Europe's elite club competition next season.

Liverpool suffered a drastic dip in form this season after coming close to an unprecedented quadruple last year.

A late-season rally came too little, too late as a 10-game unbeaten run has only guaranteed fifth place and Europa League football next season.

"I'm totally devastated," Salah, who has scored 30 goals in all competitions this season, posted on his social media channels.

"There's absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year's Champions League and we failed.

"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. We let you and ourselves down."

Next season will be the first time Liverpool have not been in the Champions League since Salah joined the club in 2017.

However, he appeared to end any speculation over his future when he signed a new three-year contract at Anfield last year.



Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
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Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)

The Olympic cauldron that made a stunning first flight at the Paris Games opening ceremony will sit on the ground during the day and rise again every evening.

Paris Olympics organizers said that from Saturday, the cauldron attached to a balloon will fly more than 60 meters (197 feet) above the Tuileries gardens near the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre museum from sunset until 2 a.m.

During daytime hours, 10,000 people each day can get free tickets to approach the cauldron, which is the first in Olympic history to light up without the use of fossil fuels.

Organizers said the electric flame uses 40 LED spotlights “to illuminate the cloud created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.”