Hat-trick hero back to his best
SADIO MANE claims he never had any doubts he would eventually come good again.
The Senegal ace returned to form on Wednesday with a stunning hat-trick as Liverpool put five past Porto.
They now have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after Mane became only the second Liverpool player to score a hattrick away from home in Europe. Michael Owen was the first.
But he still needed Andy Robertson to rescue the match ball for him, as a ball-boy tried to smuggle it away for a souvenir.
The left-back said: “I had to go running after the ball boy for his ball at the end. Sadio was nearly upset. Luckily, I managed to get it.”
Mane has struggled to recapture his best form, summer signing Mohamed Salah stealing the limelight with 30 goals this season.
But that all changed in the rain-soaked Estadio Do Dragao, even though Salah still scored the stand-out goal of the game.
“As a player sometimes it is not easy for me,” said Mane.
“I never doubted myself as I knew I could help the team.
“I always tried to remain balanced, even when it was not working, because it is my job and I have to do it.
“It was tough on me but it is part of football and can happen. I don’t know how to describe it but it can happen to every single player.
“In my mind I was relaxed that it would all change.”
Mane now has six goals in his last three Champions League appearances and 12 for the season.
That tally is just one shy of last season’s total when he missed a month of action due to the Africa Cup of Nations and six weeks with a knee injury.
Next up for Mane and Co is a four-day warm weather training camp in Marbella before league clashes with West Ham and Newcastle, followed by the return leg with Porto.
Mane added: “We have more important games to come in the next couple of weeks so we will be ready for that.” GOLF PGA European Tour – Oman Open – leading 1st rd scores 65 66 67 RUGBY LEAGUE Betfred Super League Hull KR .................... 23 Catalans Dragons ..... 4 Hull KR – T: G: DG: Catalans Dragons – T: BBL Trophy semi-final, 2nd leg: CRICKET T20 Tri-Series – Auckland: 6th ODI – Centurion: 4th ODI – Sharjah: ICE HOCKEY Elite League: RUGBY LEAGUE World Club Challenge Melbourne Storm v Leeds (9am) ....................... Betfred Super League Widnes v Warrington (7.35pm) .......................... RUGBY UNION Aviva Premiership Newcastle v Bath (7.45pm) ................................ Sale v Saracens (7.45pm) .................................. Guinness PRO14: