Salah, Ronaldo square off in final

Kiev, Ukraine — For once in a Champions League final, Cristiano Ronaldo will yield some of the spotlight to another player sweeping up adulation and personal acclaim.

While five-time world player of the year Ronaldo is chasing a record fifth Champions League triumph, and fourth with Real Madrid, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is chasing a first. Not just a first Champions League success, but a first major title in soccer in his maiden cup final.

Victory today in Kiev’s Olympic Stadium would be a fitting climax to an astonishing debut season at Liverpool for Salah. A season when the Egyptian seized his second chance at a Premier League club with gusto after a faltering spell at Chelsea.

Salah has had such a devastating impact that he poses a serious threat to the decade of dominance of the world player of the year award by Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

“Comparing players with Ronaldo and Messi is something you can’t do,” Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos said on Friday. “They’re in another orbit. There are players who are in fashion, those who come and go and others who stay around.

“Salah is a top player, that’s clear. He’s shown that this year and he’s got a great chance to show that over the next few years as Ronaldo and Messi have done — but the day after tomorrow.”

Few could have imagined Salah’s impact, powering the five-time European champions to their first Champions League final in 11 years with 11 goals in a run that began in the playoff round.

Ronaldo eclipsed Salah in the competition with 15 goals after starting out in the group stage.

But both Salah and Ronaldo stand locked on 44 goals for the season in all competitions heading into the final. So potent is the 33-year-old Ronaldo, he only required 43 games. Salah, who is eight years younger, played eight more than the Portuguese.

“He’s the best,” Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said of Ronaldo, “and he proves it every year.”