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Richard Tanner
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Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool will not be driven by revenge when they meet Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Mo Salah has made it clear he is “motivated through the roof” at the prospect of avenging the 2018 final when Real beat Liverpool 3-1 and he was forced off injured after half an hour following a foul by Real captain Sergio Ramos.
“This was a harsh night for us – it was tough to take,” said Klopp. “But I don’t believe in revenge or think revenge is a fantastic idea. I understand what Mo said – he wants to put it right.
“But in Germany we say you always meet twice in life. If we get the chance to win it this time it will be a great story, but it will not be because of what happened in 2018.”
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Liverpool’s hopes of lifting Europe’s top club prize for a seventh time were boosted by the news that Thiago Alcantara could be fit after limping off with an Achilles injury in their final Premier League game against Wolves on Sunday.
Klopp said the influential midfielder has a “good chance” of recovering time to play at the Stade de France. “At the moment it looks like he can be part of training tomorrow. That would be really helpful. It’s surprisingly good. After Sunday’s game I was not really positive about it, but we got news that night that it doesn’t look that bad. We will see.”
The other good news for Liverpool is that Salah, Fabinho, Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez – who have all had injury concerns in recent weeks – are all fit.
Klopp said that having to quickly switch their focus to the Champions League final has helped his players overcome the crushing disappointment of being pipped by just a point to the Premier League title by Manchester City.
“Nobody feels the pain from Sunday any more,” he said. “We are all in a good moment. We are all looking forward to Saturday. Winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup means it has been a great season but winning the Champions League as well makes it a fantastic season.”
Salah has also re-assured Liverpool followers he will be at Anfield next season, but again refused to be drawn over whether he will sign a new contract beyond that.
And his strike partner Sadio Mane – who also has only a year left on his current contract – said he will announce his future plans following the Champions League final on Saturday.
Salah’s protracted negotiations over a new deal have gone on for over a year with, as yet, no conclusion.
Following Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at Paris St Germain, Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Salah, amid speculation that Liverpool might consider selling for the right price to avoid the possibility of losing him as a free agent when his current contract expires next summer.
But at Liverpool’s media day ahead of the clash with Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday, Salah insisted he will not be going anywhere this summer. “I am staying next season for sure,” he said.
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When asked about his longer term future, however, he insisted he didn’t want to overshadow the club’s build-up to the final by talking about it.
“In my mind, I don’t focus on the contract at the moment,” he added. “I don’t want to be selfish. I said that two months ago, it is about the team now. I am just focused with the team. I want the Champions League again. I want to see Hendo [captain Jordan Henderson] lift the trophy again – and hopefully give it to me afterwards!”
Mane, who has been linked with Bayern Munich, will declare his intentions following the final. “This question [about my future], whether I am staying or not, I will answer after the Champions League final.”
Salah admitted that narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City on Sunday – which ended their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies – has only increased his determination to set the record straight.
“I’m very motivated – motivated through the roof – after what happened last time [2018 final] as well as on Sunday,” he said. “Everyone is motivated to win the Champions League.
“I remember when I went off it was the worst moment of my career, I was really down. I had had a good season and coming off after 30 minutes in the Champions League final is the worst thing that can happen to you.
“I heard the result when I was in hospital and felt ‘we cannot lose the game that way’. I never felt that way before in football. After that summer we came back, we talked to each other. Hendo and Milly [James Milner] talked in the dressing room and said ‘we go again.’ And we won it. Every season I have been here we fight for this. Everyone is excited.”
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Salah said that Liverpool’s unrelenting chase for trophies has helped to ease his double disappointment at Egypt’s failure to win the African Cup of Nations and reach the World Cup finals – they were beaten by Mane’s Senegal in both competitions. .
“I was really disappointed with what happened with the national team,” he added. “But I didn’t have any time to think about that. I came back to England, trained the day after then play against Watford.
“In my mind I was just trying to think positively. There are three or four other trophies you can win so go for them. After Egypt, I was just thinking Carabao Cup and FA Cup. We were unlucky [in the Premier League] on Sunday. Now let’s try to win the Champions League.”
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Mo Salah has made it clear he is “motivated through the roof” at the prospect of avenging the 2018 final when Real beat Liverpool 3-1 and he was forced off injured after half an hour following a foul by Real captain Sergio Ramos.
“This was a harsh night for us – it was tough to take,” said Klopp. “But I don’t believe in revenge or think revenge is a fantastic idea. I understand what Mo said – he wants to put it right.
“But in Germany we say you always meet twice in life. If we get the chance to win it this time it will be a great story, but it will not be because of what happened in 2018.”
More from Football
Ten Hag's work ethic and attention to detail is like Sir Alex Ferguson's, says Steve McClaren25 May, 2022
Burnley in talks with Anderlecht boss Vincent Kompany over vacant managerial role25 May, 2022
Newcastle target Atletico Madrid defender Renan Lodi but torn on Calvert-Lewin25 May, 2022
Liverpool’s hopes of lifting Europe’s top club prize for a seventh time were boosted by the news that Thiago Alcantara could be fit after limping off with an Achilles injury in their final Premier League game against Wolves on Sunday.
Klopp said the influential midfielder has a “good chance” of recovering time to play at the Stade de France. “At the moment it looks like he can be part of training tomorrow. That would be really helpful. It’s surprisingly good. After Sunday’s game I was not really positive about it, but we got news that night that it doesn’t look that bad. We will see.”
The other good news for Liverpool is that Salah, Fabinho, Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez – who have all had injury concerns in recent weeks – are all fit.
Klopp said that having to quickly switch their focus to the Champions League final has helped his players overcome the crushing disappointment of being pipped by just a point to the Premier League title by Manchester City.
“Nobody feels the pain from Sunday any more,” he said. “We are all in a good moment. We are all looking forward to Saturday. Winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup means it has been a great season but winning the Champions League as well makes it a fantastic season.”
Salah: ‘I am staying, for sure’
Salah has also re-assured Liverpool followers he will be at Anfield next season, but again refused to be drawn over whether he will sign a new contract beyond that.
And his strike partner Sadio Mane – who also has only a year left on his current contract – said he will announce his future plans following the Champions League final on Saturday.
Salah’s protracted negotiations over a new deal have gone on for over a year with, as yet, no conclusion.
Following Kylian Mbappe’s decision to stay at Paris St Germain, Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Salah, amid speculation that Liverpool might consider selling for the right price to avoid the possibility of losing him as a free agent when his current contract expires next summer.
But at Liverpool’s media day ahead of the clash with Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday, Salah insisted he will not be going anywhere this summer. “I am staying next season for sure,” he said.
Related Stories
Liverpool season review: Reds fell short of perfection but there was no shame in second23 May, 2022
When asked about his longer term future, however, he insisted he didn’t want to overshadow the club’s build-up to the final by talking about it.
“In my mind, I don’t focus on the contract at the moment,” he added. “I don’t want to be selfish. I said that two months ago, it is about the team now. I am just focused with the team. I want the Champions League again. I want to see Hendo [captain Jordan Henderson] lift the trophy again – and hopefully give it to me afterwards!”
Mane, who has been linked with Bayern Munich, will declare his intentions following the final. “This question [about my future], whether I am staying or not, I will answer after the Champions League final.”
Salah admitted that narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City on Sunday – which ended their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies – has only increased his determination to set the record straight.
“I’m very motivated – motivated through the roof – after what happened last time [2018 final] as well as on Sunday,” he said. “Everyone is motivated to win the Champions League.
“I remember when I went off it was the worst moment of my career, I was really down. I had had a good season and coming off after 30 minutes in the Champions League final is the worst thing that can happen to you.
“I heard the result when I was in hospital and felt ‘we cannot lose the game that way’. I never felt that way before in football. After that summer we came back, we talked to each other. Hendo and Milly [James Milner] talked in the dressing room and said ‘we go again.’ And we won it. Every season I have been here we fight for this. Everyone is excited.”
Related Stories
Why Fabio Carvalho signing matters if Liverpool want to catch Man City next season23 May, 2022
Salah said that Liverpool’s unrelenting chase for trophies has helped to ease his double disappointment at Egypt’s failure to win the African Cup of Nations and reach the World Cup finals – they were beaten by Mane’s Senegal in both competitions. .
“I was really disappointed with what happened with the national team,” he added. “But I didn’t have any time to think about that. I came back to England, trained the day after then play against Watford.
“In my mind I was just trying to think positively. There are three or four other trophies you can win so go for them. After Egypt, I was just thinking Carabao Cup and FA Cup. We were unlucky [in the Premier League] on Sunday. Now let’s try to win the Champions League.”
Continue reading...