In this column, we track the best Arab football talents plying their trade in Europe and round-up their accomplishments and stories over every week.
AS Roma star Mohamed Salah is never far from the headlines, especially this season due to his scintillating form, and he features in our column this week.
BEST PLAYER
Roma put four past AC Milan with Mohamed Salah a constant threat.
The winger was in top form and in the eighth minute executed a superb one-two with Edin Dzeko on the edge of the box who then capped the move with an excellent curling finish into the top corner to break the deadlock.
The Egyptian dribbled into the box in the closing stages only to be hauled down by defender Gabriel Paletta and Roma captain Daniele De Rossi converted the spot-kick to complete the 4-1 win.
MOMENT OF MAGIC
Playing his 100th Premier League game, Riyad Mahrez marked it with a quite brilliant goal in Leicester City’s 3-0 win over Watford.
Last year’s PFA Player of the Year closed down Adrian Mariappa, won the ball off him, and proceeded into the penalty box at pace. From an impossible angle, the Algerian then nonchalantly nutmegged Heurelho Gomes in the Watford goal to score Leicester’s second of the game in the 58th minute.
Not a bad way to score your 12th goal of the season. Take a bow, Riyad.
TOP STORIES
Golden Boy Sobhi?
Stoke City’s Ramadan Sobhi has been nominated for the Golden Boy award for 2017. The prestigious accolade is given to the best player in Europe under the age of 21.
The Egyptian joins some stellar names in the list of nominees including AS Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe, Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
The 20-year-old has made 17 appearances for Stoke’s first team this season and has bagged two assists.
Salah receives death threats
Along with teammates Radja Nainggolan and Daniele de Rossi, Salah was the victim of anonymous death threats ahead of Sunday’s match against AC Milan in Serie A.
Following Roma’s defeat to Lazio last week, three dummies dressed in the jerseys of the aforementioned players were found hanging in the Colosseum area.
The message translated from Italian read: “Some advice with no offense … always sleep with the lights on.”
Benatia victim of racial slur
During a live interview on Italian television network Rai, Mehdi Benatia overheard someone racially abusing him through his earpiece.
The Juventus defender on loan from Bayern Munich this season abruptly cut-off mid-sentence when he heard the comment.
According to the Mirror, the defender responded out loud, “What are you saying, s****y Moroccan?”
Benatia was angered by the racial slur and proceeded to question about its source. The network later issued a public apology.
TOP STAT
After a 100 games in the league, Mahrez has put together a fine record from midfield, being directly involved in a goal once in every 2.27 games.
ON THE MOVE
With Sunderland relegated to the Championship, several players will be looking for a new club in the summer. One of them will surely be Wahbi Khazri according to The Chronicle.
The Tunisian, has been strangely left out of the squad of late under David Moyes. Being one of their most creative players, Khazri is likely disgruntled by his situation and on the look out for a new club.