World Cup 2018: Mohamed Salah and Sergio Ramos likely to meet again in World Cup knockout tie after injury controversy

The Egyptian forward faces a race to be fit, but he could return just in time to face Spain

Mohamed Salah and Sergio Ramos could be reunited as soon as next month should the Liverpool forward recover from injury in time to play at the World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Federation are confident that Salah's injury - the product of a tussle with Ramos - is only going to keep him out for three-to-four weeks and that timescale would see him likely miss just the Pharoahs' opening group game against Group A favourites Uruguay.

But should he return for matches against Saudi Arabia and hosts Russia then there is reason to believe Egypt could qualify in second place for the last 16, putting them on collision course with Spain and Egyptian public enemy number 1, Sergio Ramos.

Spain are the favourites in Group B, where they've been drawn with Portugal, Morocco and Iran in one of the more intriguing foursomes. And despite being paired with European Champions Portugal, there is confidence that La Roja will be back to their best after the debacle of 2014 and should compete for honours in Russia.

Should Spain top their group then they will face the runner-up from Group A, where Egypt are likely to battle Russia - officially the lowest-ranked hosts of any World Cup in history - and Saudi Arabia, who haven't won a World Cup game in nearly a quarter of a century, since their best-ever World Cup showing at USA 1994.

It means a Ramos-Salah reunion on July 1st and Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium is a highly-probably knockout game, and one that won't be short of interest given the events of Kiev.

Nearly half a million people have signed an online petition calling for Fifa and Uefa to punish Sergio Ramos for “intentionally hurting Mohamed Salah” in Saturday night's Champions League final.

A petition on change.org to see the Madrid captain banned for the challenge has more than 460,000 signatures.

“Sergio Ramos intentionally kept Mohamed Salah’s arm under his armpit, causing dislocation of his shoulder,” claims the petition. “Not only missing the rest of the game, but also missing the Fifa World Cup 2018.

“In addition he kept acting that Liverpool players fouled him falsely, causing the referee to give Mane a yellow card he did not deserve.

“Sergio Ramos represents an awful example to future generations of football players. Instead of winning matches fairly, he uses tricks that defy the spirit of the game and fair play.

“Uefa and Fifa should take measures against Ramos and similar players, using the video recordings of matches to keep the spirit of the game.”

Read more coverage on the Champions League final:

• Miguel Delaney: The definitive read from an enthralling night
• Jonathan Liew: The emptiness of the biggest stage
• Ed Malyon: Why relentless Real make their own luck
• Mark Critchley: Salah's early exit cripples Liverpool
• Explained: Salah's injury and his chances of playing in Russia
• Man marking: We run the rule over both teams in Kiev
• Transfer talk #1: Ronaldo opens the door to shock exit
• ​Transfer talk #2: Bale issues come and get me plea

However, plenty of fans and pundits have jumped to Ramos’s defence. Frank Lampard said on BT Sport at half-time: “He’s got close, like any defender should do and sometimes when you get that contact you do interlink arms and it’s more unfortunate in the end, the way he fell.”

Ramos was pictured laughing with an assistant referee as Salah was led away holding his arm but Rio Ferdinand said: “”I wouldn’t associate the two things. I think it was really good defending from Ramos and I don’t think he meant to do that [hurt Salah].”

On Monday it emerged that an Egyptian lawyer was aiming to sue Ramos for £870m. Bassem Wahba accused Ramos of deliberately injuring Salah and inflicting “physical and psychological harm” upon Egypt and the nation’s favourite player.