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Unselfishness key to Liverpool’s free-scoring front three, says Salah
By AFP
25 May 2018 | 11:28 am
Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the team’s second goal during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park in south London on March 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Glyn KIRK /
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah admitted it would be “a dream” to cap a sensational debut season at Anfield by ending Real Madrid’s European reign in Saturday’s Champions League final.
However, Salah says he would be happy if Roberto Firmino or Sadio Mane grabs the goal that takes the Reds to a sixth European crown.
Salah has won a series of individual prizes as he has contributed 44 of the 90 goals Liverpool’s front three have scored this season.
But the goals have been far more evenly spread in the Champions League.
“It doesn’t matter who scores,” Salah told UEFA.com.
“Winning games, getting points, that’s the most important thing for us because as you can see, I’ve scored ten goals in the Champions League, Sadio nine, Firmino ten, so all of us are the same.
“None of us is selfish or only wants to score. We try to help each other to score goals.”
The Egyptian, who had a disappointing spell at Chelsea, has been a revelation since his return to England last summer from Roma.
His form has led to Saturday’s clash in Kiev being billed as a Ballon d’Or decider against five-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.
And he stressed the importance of maintaining that form for a number of years to match Ronaldo or Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
“The most important thing is to maintain that level, to (keep) doing what I’ve done next season as well,” he said.
“I believed (that I was capable of this form). I was at Roma for two years, had two great seasons there and everyone told me to stay, but it was in my mind to come and be successful in England.”
The contrast in experience will be stark in the Ukrainian capital as Madrid seek a fourth Champions League in five seasons.
By contrast, despite Liverpool’s storied history in the competition, none of Jurgen Klopp’s squad have ever played in a Champions League final.
“They’ve won the Champions League three times in the past four years, so they have a lot of experience,” Salah said.
But he said the single-game format improves Liverpool’s chances.
“It’s one game, not two, so we just need to focus and not think about anything in the past. When you get to the game it’s just 11 against 11.”
