Mohamed Salah enjoys a chance to face Real Madrid after being confirmed to face Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final.
After Liverpool’s impressive victory in the second leg against Villarreal to take the Reds to the May 28 match in Paris, Madrid’s taste for the title was evident on Wednesday, scoring two goals in injury time and a third in extra time to end Manchester City.
Salah, 29, responded on Twitter after Madrid’s win, confirming that he and Liverpool had a “resolving effect”.
Now he has gone on to suggest that everyone at Liverpool wanted to face Los Blancos in addition to their strong Premier League rivals at the Stade de France.
“If you ask everyone [at Liverpool], everyone wanted that game,” Salah told Sky Sports. “I do not know why we are not allowed to talk about it, but it ‘s okay to talk about it – I wanted that game. I wanted to play for Real Madrid before that game [against Manchester City].
“Yeah, I don’t give them much credit. They’re an incredible team with a great coach, and great players. When they asked me who I wanted, I said Madrid. It’s an easy answer.”
Salah has a record of four draws and four defeats in five games against Los Blancos in the Champions League, scoring once – in the first leg of the 2020-21 quarter final.
The 2017-18 final between Liverpool and Madrid was commemorated with Salah’s early injury and replacement, after a battle with Sergio Ramos in which he was dragged.
Aside from Liverpool and Roma’s personal humiliation against Madrid, Kyiv’s final four-year-old match has always been a memorable, public and private affair.
“You feel very embarrassed, very low,” Salah said. “‘Well come on, not in this game!’ But when you have time, it makes you forget.
“I had news of work and had a vacation after that. During that holiday I just asked, ‘What do you want? You always cry about it and get upset about it and it makes you feel bad? Or you just fight.’ And I fought the best way and that is why we are here now. “
