Dejan Lovren is surprised by the absence of former Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at the World Cup.

Mane had realised his World Cup dream when Senegal beat Salah 's Egypt in the African play-off, but the Bayern Munich forward suffered a heartbreaking injury just days before the flying out to Qatar.

Zenit St Petersburg defender Lovren is a close friend of Liverpool star Salah and won the Premier League and Champions League alongside Mane.

"They are two big superstars, and I think the World Cup in Qatar misses big players like Salah and Sadio," said the centre-back after the draw with Morocco.

"But this is the World Cup, there are other players, and the good thing is that Mo can still reach it. He's still young. Unfortunately for Sadio, it's unlucky, really bad luck, the last game before the World Cup, but Sadio will also come back."