Salah on Real Madrid, Klopp and scoring goals
Friday, May 25, 2018
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"Everyone has confidence and that's why we score so many goals," says Mohamed Salah.
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Aiming to become Egypt's first UEFA Champions League winner, Mohamed Salah has scored 44 goals in all competitions this season; he tells UEFA.com why the Reds' team spirit, fostered by Jürgen Klopp, has been crucial on the road to Kyiv.
On winning the UEFA Champions League
I don't know what to say exactly, but to win the Champions League is something different. It's something huge to win the Champions League. [Playing in the final is] a dream come true. Everyone is excited in the city and at the club. I remember two years ago, I watched the final back in Egypt and I saw what the atmosphere was like.
On facing Real Madrid
They are the team that has won this trophy more than anyone else. They've won the Champions League three times in the past four years, so they have a lot of experience. They've won it before, but 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.
On Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp
Of course you do the things that he wants, but he gives you the freedom to play your own style of football. He always gives players the confidence to do what they want to do in games. It helps you to perform better. That's his strength. It's not just for me, it's for everyone. Everyone has confidence and that's why we score so many goals. He's not just my friend, he's a friend to everyone in the team.
On Liverpool's team spirit
We are friends. Most of us will go out for dinner together or spend our time together. That helps us during games. We're close to each other. We're growing as a group, especially during the last couple of months.
On his goalscoring form
Hard work has been the key. The most important thing is to maintain that level, to [keep] doing what I've done next season as well. Now we have a final, so we need to think only about the final. 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.
On childhood heroes
[Francesco] Totti, Brazilian Ronaldo, [Zinédine] Zidane. My thinking was to choose three players who were completely different to everyone else in the way that they play.
On his favourite moment in this season's UEFA Champions League
I would choose the goal against Manchester City.
On Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané
The most important thing for us is to help the team to score goals. It doesn't matter who scores. 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.