MOHAMED SALAH SAYS he is targeting a perfect summer, starting with Champions League glory with Liverpool this weekend.
The Egyptian star is out for redemption after seeing his dreams ruined in Kiev last year. Salah’s injury in the first-half of the Reds’ final defeat to Real Madrid 12 months ago was a devastating blow, both for the player and his team.
A year on, the 26-year-old is hoping for better memories as Liverpool take on Tottenham at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Jurgen Klopp’s side are favourites heading into the game, and Salah is targeting not only victory, but a goal or two for himself too.
“It’s not just a dream,” he said at Liverpool’s media day at Melwood on Tuesday. “I hope it becomes a reality and I score in the final, then win the African Cup of Nations too.
I am so happy that I have the chance to play another final. I hope I can play the full game this time. I am very excited for that. I hope we can right what happened last season, get a good result, and win the competition.”
Salah believes the fact it is Tottenham who stand in Liverpool’s way adds an extra challenge. Spurs, like the Reds, had looked dead and buried in their semi-final but fought back remarkably to beat Ajax with a last-gasp goal.
“I think it will be tough,” Salah said. “But by the end of the day, this is a final and no opponent would have been easy. It would be the same if it were Ajax, a team that beat Real Madrid and Juventus.
But now we only think about Tottenham. It is harder because it is an English side, but anyway we needed to win whether it was against Ajax or Spurs. And that is the most important thing we want to do.
“I don’t think [being favourites] will change much. All we have to do is stay focused on the game to win. Who is favourite and who isn’t will not change what you have to do on the pitch. It could give us a bit of a boost, but it won’t be the main reason why a side wins a game.”
Liverpool are expected to welcome back Roberto Firmino for the game, with the Brazilian having failed to start any of their last five games due to a groin issue.
Firmino trained away from the main group at Melwood on Tuesday, but Jurgen Klopp expects the striker to be fit to start in Madrid – something Salah will welcome.
“He is very important for us and helps us so much in all our games,” he said. “I’m so glad that he’s back, especially for him personally. I hope he can help us again to achieve something good.
We are very excited. Of course this is our second final in a row. We lost the first, but everything feels better this time around and we have more experience than the last time.
“We are all looking forward and we had a good preparation period in Spain. We are back in Liverpool, and we are feeling very motivated as players and coaching staff. I hope we can win it this time.”
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Both the Dublin footballers and hurlers are arrogant and seem to display little or no respect for other teams. The funny thing is, they have won f**k all and are disliked universally throughout the land for their attitude. Kerry will win, as always…obviously. Duh!
That’s just Dubs in general. They can’t help it. You’d nearly feel sorry for ‘em
Your basing this opinion on previous Dublin teams,who believed their media hype,this team doesnt have that arrogance and youl see it when they play Kerry on Sunday.Remember everyone said Tyrone would wipe the floor with Dublin and Donegals defence would be too much oh and not to forget the fact that Kildare had already won the all Ireland according to some parts of the media.So you cant write the dubs off just yet.
And as for saying all dub people are arrogant,its like me saying all non dubs are uneducated farmers…not true of course.
Yes, whereas the footballers and hurlers from all other counties are demure and chivalrous to a man. What a pile of prejudiced sh!te.
Well yes, they are actually…compare Kilkenny senior hurlers to Dublin hurlers. One team have won it all yet remain humble and respectful, the other team…well yeah, just Dublin being Dublin
You really believe the Dublin hurlers disrepect possibly the greatest hurling team ever to grace a park? You’re more twisted in your Dub hatred than I first thought.
Dublin – “We don’t really give a damn about anyone else” Good man Dotsy )))
dublin play and act like every other team in the country yous all say we believe in the hype ,dont we all if a county’s doin well they get mega press and believe in the hype its not just dublin
(((((((((((((Well yes, they are actually…compare Kilkenny senior hurlers to Dublin hurlers. One team have won it all yet remain humble and respectful, the other team…well yeah, just Dublin being Dublin)))))))))))) burnt toast
just remember we beat kilkenny twice in the league almost beat them in the leinster final in which we played fair while kilkenny fouled us everytime vwe got the ball and if we had beaten tip we would have given kilkenny a hell of a game and may well have beaten them
also we have a young team takin out the top teams in ireland all through the year of course some of it will get to the players
dublin of course!
of course ? lol
ROFL
I’m a dub living in the country and the abuse I’m getting over my Dublin flag is unreal!! I am by no means arrogant, just a fan. Really hope the lads do it, true blue forever…..
Haters, twisted haters.
Salt of the earth !
Head says Kerry, heart says Dublin. Up the Dubs!
I commented after the Dublin v Kildare game that I didn’t think either team would win the All Ireland. Given my record to date, you would be well advised to bet on the Dubs to win!
i think the pie chart should have been the ‘standard’ shades of blue colours…
My Dub flag is flying high in Langerland……… Cork people hate everyone other than themselves…….. Football to win after the donegal fiasco but sam is going to the DUBS
burnt toast give example of arrogance please
The ad for McDonalds … ” ‘You’re not in Longford now, Flynn’,” and “Don’t be stupid. It wrecks the cheese.” … Dubs know everything, of course!!
;)
@Alan. Have you ever reheated a big mac in the microwave?
Course not! It wrecks the cheese! … Doh!
Hm where to start, oh yeah… the hurling team pre-booking a bar in Dublin to celebrate their anticipated win against Kilkenny…who of course trashed them. Is that arrogance or gross stupidity, cringe :(
It’s called contingency, toast, having a plan for all eventualities. But you’re obviously coiled so tightly with apopectic hatred for all things Dublin that you’re ready to take every little detail and blow it out of all proportion.
hahaha oh that’s what it is called is it, funny how no other GAA team in the history of the game have had such a premature contingency plan blow up in their face lol Good man yourself, anymore jokes ;)
Read this:
http://joe.ie/gaa/gaa-news/the-pre-emptive-dublin-hurlers-party-plans-pr-0013661-1
Think you’ll find it was the Bar and not the team who jumped the gun.
Your imminent apology is accepted, toast.
No, donl;t be silly…it was the team and that is well known. No good getting your PR boys to spin a story blaming the bar. Have they booked the Shelbourne for Sundays celebrations yet I wonder, will you be there ? ))
Galvin holds key
Dublin haven’t had a great football team since the 70′s. They have Alan Brogan and ….????. Would Alan Brogan make the Kerry team, maybe, maybe not. I don’t like to see Kerry win but i’d say they’ll walk this one, win by 10 points. The cheap Dublin players always hype up Dublin in the campaign and their fans buy in to it every time.
Tony, the Dubs have Alan Brogan and reigning Footballer of the Year Bernard Brogan too… Read a newspaper, Pal…
Up the Dubs ;)
Oh wow, and how many Brogan’s have Kerry got ? Stop reading your tabloid papers ‘pal’ ;)
wrong tony, the media always hype up Dublin, players say no different to players from other counties and the genuine fans know exactly how good or bad the team is so take what’s in the papers with a pinch of salt.. I’m hoping Dublin win but not expecting it..
Correct on all counts Peter.
Who gives a flying f**k
I couldn’t care less.
Got any spare tickets?
Galvin to win it from the bench….
Gooch to be unstoppable, get man of the match and player of the year. You heard it here first.
You would swear life depended on this sport. Its a few guys running around a pitch. Utter boring. I’d rather sit on the toilet than sit and watch this match or any match for that matter.
I’ll be looking for a pub that has no television, thank you very much.
I take it the glass in your picture is half empty?
Yet you scrolled through all these comments…
Who cares about bog-ball, horrible primitive sport loved by lads with thick heads, and lasses with think ankles… Man Utd v Chelsea, 4pm Sunday, yes please!
My heart says Dublin……head says Kerry. :(
I’m so glad Dublin won! Eat your words haters :)
Dublin have a huge advantage playing at home in their usual championship stadium in front of what will probably be over 70% Dublin supporters.
No way , croker is kerrys home stadium , up Kerry
Dublin defensive system will give Kerry half back line too much space, Kerry will score more. So Dublin must attack, reducing their defence meaning Kerry will score more. Galvin is there just in case. I think! Hope it’s a good game anyhoo