Nwaiwu warns defenders must be fully prepared to face Trabzonspor team-mate Salah

Super Eagles defender Chibuike Nwaiwu says any player asked to face Trabzonspor team-mate Mohamed Salah must be “100% ready” and maintain complete concentration throughout the game.

The Nigerian centre-back believes Salah has the quality to punish even the smallest lapse in defensive focus, making the Egyptian forward one of the most difficult players to contain.

Nwaiwu also welcomed the opportunity to test himself against a player of Salah’s calibre, while acknowledging the level of preparation required to prevent him from influencing a match.

“Every player who plays against Salah needs to be very prepared,” Nwaiwu said, according to Haber61.

“As a defender, I would like to play against Salah. If I’m going to play against him, I need to be 100% ready and completely focused. Because Salah is not a player you can easily take out of the game. He has very high quality.”

Nwaiwu said Salah possesses the technical ability and all-round attacking qualities needed to dismantle a defence if an opponent switches off, even briefly.

The warning comes after Salah made an immediate impact in the Turkish Super Lig, scoring twice on his first appearance in the competition for Trabzonspor.

He came close to completing a hat-trick in Trabzonspor’s victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, underlining the threat he continues to pose in front of goal after moving to Turkey.

The 34-year-old Egypt forward left Liverpool during the summer on a free transfer after nine years at the club. He scored 257 goals for Liverpool during that period.

Salah had initially been expected to move to Saudi Arabia, but instead joined Trabzonspor on a two-year contract. His deal is reported to be worth £280,000 per week.

The match against Istanbul Basaksehir was his third for the Turkish club. He had previously come on as a substitute against Kasimpasa last weekend before starting Trabzonspor’s Europa League play-off first-leg defeat by Ferencvaros.

Nwaiwu’s comments highlight the challenge facing defenders in the Turkish side’s squad as they prepare to work alongside and, in training or competitive situations, come up against one of the leading forwards of his generation.

For Nwaiwu, the prospect of playing against Salah represents a demanding test, but one he is keen to embrace. His message is that defenders cannot afford to rely solely on physical ability or tactical planning: they must remain alert for the entire contest when attempting to limit the Egyptian’s influence.