Klopp says Salah ‘full of power’ regardless of Ramadan plans
KIEV: A thrilling run inspired by Mohamed Salah has taken Liverpool to Saturday’s Champions League final in Kiev against Real Madrid, where now Juergen Klopp’s side must stop the Spanish giants from winning the trophy for the third year running. Real have seen this as their competition ever since winning the first five European Cups in a row, and this is another golden era for them, in which they are dreaming of making it a fourth Champions League in five years.
Neither Atletico Madrid (twice) nor Juventus have been able to stop Cristiano Ronaldo from inflicting pain on them in recent finals. But Liverpool’s own attacking quality gives them reason to believe and suggests the Olympic Stadium in the Ukrainian capital could be the scene of an unforgettable encounter.
In terms of history alone, this is a dream final. Real’s 12 European Cup wins puts them way ahead of the rest, but Liverpool have lifted the famous trophy five times themselves, most recently in 2005, defying all the odds against AC Milan in Istanbul.
This time, under Klopp, their adventure started against Hoffenheim in the play-offs last August, on through stunning wins over Manchester City and Roma via a 3-3 draw in Seville when they had been three goals up.
They have scored a record 46 goals in all in this season’s Champions League, with Salah netting 11 of those — the Egyptian has 44 in all competitions since joining from Roma last year. “If we win the competition then the road to Kiev plus the final would be one of the most exceptional rides ever,” Klopp said. English club Liverpool would be hoping to break Spanish giants Real’s bid to win the title for the third successive time and overcome the disappointment of finishing fourth in the Premier League Matches This is Juergen Klopp’s second appearance in the Champions League final, having previously lost with Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich in 2013.
Klopp has lost his last five major finals as a coach, including the 2013 Champions League with Borussia Dortmund against Bayern Munich, and the 2016 Europa League with Liverpool against Sevilla.
Experience means his team has to be the outsider in Kiev — none of the squad have ever played in a Champions League final before — but Klopp knows Zinedine Zidane’s side cannot dismiss them.
“Do Real Madrid, sitting in Madrid at the moment, think, ‘thank God it’s Liverpool!’? I can’t imagine that,” added the coach, who has welcomed Emre Can back into his squad. Salah will be important, especially if Marcelo is unable to resist the temptation to abandon his leftback position and join the Real attack.
While Gareth Bale is unlikely to make Zidane’s line-up, how will the Liverpool midfield cope against Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, their central defence against Ronaldo?
Real can became the first team since Bayern in 1976 to lift the European Cup three years running, and thereby make it five consecutive titles for Spain. Ronaldo could win his fifth Champions League. That would equal the individual record, and leave him in sight of yet another Ballon d’or.
Zidane, meanwhile, is on the brink of a third straight Champions League win as a coach. “We have already made history and we want to keep on doing it. It would be incredible,” defender Raphael Varane told Madrid sports daily Marca.
“I still don’t think we have realised the scale of what we are doing, but when all this is over we will. Through experience we know how difficult it is going to be, but experience gives more security.” Matches Zidane has become the first manager to reach 3 consecutive Champions League finals since Marcello
Lippi (1996-1998). KIEV: Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp says forward Mohamed Salah will be at peak fitness for Saturday’s Champions League final regardless of whether or not he is observing the fasting rules of Ramadan. The question of whether devout Muslim Salah has chosen to fast in the build-up to the encounter with Real Madrid in Kiev has attracted a lot of media interest.
Liverpool’s physiotherapist Ruben Pons told Spanish radio station Onda Cero that Egypt forward Salah had been observing Ramadan during the team’s recent training camp in Marbella but had chosen to interrupt his fasting three days before the final. “As I understand it (reli- gion) is a private matter so I have nothing to say about that but all is fine, you will see him in training, he is full of power, you need to be a day before the final,” Klopp said.
FANS STRANDED
LONDON: Around 1,000 Liverpool fans have been left stranded and risk missing the Champions League final in Kiev after a travel firm cancelled three flights to the Ukraine capital. Worldchoice Sports announced on its Facebook page that it had been unable to secure enough landing slots for the aircraft, issuing a “huge apology” to ticket holders. The devastating news comes as anger grows over spiralling accommodation and travel costs for those travelling for Saturday’s match.
“With deep regret, we have had to cancel three flights to Kiev,” the statement said. “Due to so many flights going into Kiev, Kiev Boryspil has unable to allocate times for aircraft.
MANE DONATES SHIRTS
KIEV: Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has despatched 300 club jerseys to supporters in his home village of Bambali in Senegal ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Mane’s family still live in the village of 2,000 inhabitants, which is expected to come to a standstill as their favourite son looks to help the Premier League club claim a sixth European Cup in Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.
The 26-year-old has ensured the village can cheer his team in style as they look to beat 12-times champions Real.