While most of Liverpool’s squad celebrated their Premier League title win, striker Darwin Núñez found himself under fire from fans after an incident involving Mohamed Salah following the Reds’ 5-1 victory over Tottenham, which secured a record-equalling 20th championship. Núñez has recently fallen out of favour with some supporters, especially after a now-deleted post where he voiced frustration over his limited playing time.
Once again starting on the bench, Núñez made a brief appearance late in the match as the celebrations kicked off in Merseyside. However, a clip of him celebrating with Salah quickly went viral, appearing to show the Uruguayan pouring alcohol over his teammate.
Núñez Criticized Over ‘Alcohol’ Incident with Salah
Given that Salah’s Muslim faith forbids alcohol consumption, the footage sparked backlash. During the celebrations, players were seen holding bottles of what looked like champagne, and Núñez was spotted running over and pouring the drink over Salah’s head. Although both were smiling afterward, many fans condemned Núñez for what they believed was an insensitive act.
Since alcohol is prohibited in Islam, criticism toward the 25-year-old quickly gained momentum online. However, it was later clarified that the beverage was actually non-alcoholic, meaning Salah and other players could participate in the celebrations without compromising their religious beliefs.
Earlier in the game, Núñez had tried to set Salah up for a second goal — even though many in the stadium were hoping he’d score himself, having found the net only three times in the Premier League since the start of the year. Although the goal didn’t materialize, Núñez still got to savor his first major European title after previously missing out during his time at Benfica.