Liverpool star Egyptian international Mohamed Salah is looking to avenge Real Madrid when the two teams meet Saturday in the European Champions League final in Paris, France.
Salah wrote on social media moments after the Royal Club reached the final at the expense of Manchester City: “A settling of scores is underway”, referring to the Reds’ defeat in the final of the tournament against the Spanish team in 2018. in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
At the time, Salah suffered a shoulder injury in the first half when Real Madrid defender and captain Sergio Ramos dropped him to the ground, preventing him from completing a match he left in tears and affecting his participation with his country in the 2018 World Cup. . Cup of Russia, because he was not in full physical and technical readiness.
Liverpool lost 3-1 in the final and Salah didn’t have a chance to recover and erase those bitter memories of that evening.
“It was the worst moment of my career,” the 29-year-old said at a press conference two days ago. “I was very, very upset at the time.”
“I’ve never felt this way in football before, especially in the first Champions League final for all of us.”
Salah made up for it 12 months later by scoring the penalty that led Liverpool to victory over his compatriot Tottenham in the final and crowned European champions for the sixth time in their history.
But while Ramos has since moved to Paris Saint-Germain, Salah is keen for Real Madrid to pay the price when they meet again in the final at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.
“I think it’s time for revenge,” Salah said as he received the English Premier League’s Player of the Season award from sports journalists earlier this month.
After getting his revenge on Salah, the Egypt international travels to Paris questioning his form, fitness and even his long-term future at Liverpool.
He suffered an injury before finishing the first half of the FA Cup final two weeks ago and prevented him from completing it, so he missed a match against Southampton in the league before his German coach Jurgen Klopp pushed him in the second half of the last match in the Premier League against ” Wolverhampton” (3:1), in which he scored the second goal.
His 23rd league goal finished the season at the top of the scoring list with South Korean Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min.
This is the third time Salah has topped the list of Premier League scorers and added the award for the best assister with 13 assists.
However, Salah’s impressive performance at the start of the season, which earned him the Player of the Season award from journalists, has left him unnoticed in recent months.
His goal against Wolverhampton last Sunday was his 31st in various competitions this season as his side lost the final race for the title to Manchester City by one point at the last stage, and his third goal in the last 17 matches in his team and his country.
– exhaustion –
That weak hitting streak includes losing his country on penalties to Senegal, his Reds colleague Sadio Mane in the virtuous role of reaching the World Cup final in Qatar, in a repeat defeat with the same result against Teranga. Lvov” in the final match of the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon at the beginning of this year.
The demands of a grueling season began to emerge even before the final in Paris for a rarely injured player.
The caution shown by manager Klopp, whose side were chasing an unprecedented four before Manchester City won the league title, is understandable.
In the five seasons since his return to England, Salah has scored 156 goals and played a major role in Liverpool’s first English Premier League title in 30 years in 2020, as well as three finals in the prestigious continental competition.
The only thing that keeps escalating is that his contract is expiring at the end of next season and negotiations are ongoing and it is reported that he wants to be the highest paid player in the Premier League.
Salah confirmed this week that he will stay at least until the final year of his contract, but he has refused to commit to his long-term future with the Reds.
Despite his history with Real Madrid, Real Madrid could now be the most likely destination for the Egyptian footballer should he decide to leave Anfield.
The Royal Club needs to sign a big star to lighten the burden of promising French international Kylian Mbappé’s refusal to join his ranks and his preference to extend his contract with his side Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool boast impressive attacking power, but Salah’s fitness and enthusiasm will be a deadly weapon against Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, with the Egyptian player himself making it clear he hasn’t lost confidence.
He told Qatari’s beIN Sports: “If you compare me to any player in my position, not only in my team but in the world, you will find that I am the best.”
Source: El Iktisad