Three Musketeers put ego aside to fire Reds’ bid for European glory
LIVERPOOL’S Fab Four became the Three Musketeers in January when Philippe Coutinho left for Barcelona. Yet they remain on course for Champions League glory, with Sadio Mane putting their success down to playing together like friends.
It was noticeable in their 5-2 semi-final first-leg win against Roma that Roberto Firmino took as much pleasure in his two assists for Mo Salah as scoring twice himself. After Salah had scored his goals, he was happy to set up Mane and Firmino for more.
According to Mane, that lack of selfishness is a major reason behind the incredible success of Jurgen Klopp’s front three, who have scored 30 of Liverpool’s 44 European goals this season, ahead of the second leg in Rome on Wednesday.
‘I love to play alongside these great players,’ said Mane. We understand each other, try to move for each other. Honestly, it’s fun.’
‘Out on the pitch, we are friends not just team-mates. Our big secret is to always love to give each other assists and that’s what we try to do. You can see on the pitch I always want to give (the ball) to Mo. He always wants to give it to me, too. I think this makes us a better team. I think that ego has never helped any club to go forward.
‘We are serious when we need to be but I think you always have to enjoy. Football is our job and we love to do it.’
As for Salah, who is grabbing most of the headlines as he closes in on Ian Rush’s Liverpool record of 47 goals in a season, there isn’t even a hint of jealousy from Mane.
‘It is something incredible,’ smiled the Senegal forward. ‘Mo is always like this, even in training. It is normal for us. We try to help him score more goals.’
Roma was Salah’s club last season but their players still did not have a clue how to stop him last Tuesday.
Even so, Mane will hope to have his own shooting boots on this Wednesday, having missed two good chances in the first half of the first leg before getting on the scoresheet later on.
‘It is important to be more clinical in front of the goal,’ he said.
Roma’s two late goals cut Liverpool’s advantage at Anfield. Given the Italians beat Barcelona 3-0 in the quarter-finals, it keeps the tie open, with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich lying in wait in the final.
‘It would have been better to keep a clean sheet but part of football is accepting and being ready for the next game as if nothing had happened,’ said Mane. ‘Their stadium is very passionate but I think Anfield is number one in the world. We are going to respect them and try to play as usual, and give our best.’
Liverpool will be buoyed by beating Manchester City away in the quarter-finals and having the commanding figure of Virgil van Dijk at the back will be reassuring given the amount of pressure that Roma are likely to try to impose.
‘Since he came, it has gone better defensively,’ said Van Dijk’s Dutch team-mate Georginio Wijnaldum, who is set to replace the injured Alex Ox lade Chamberlain.
Liverpool paid £75million for Van Dijk in January and Wijnaldum said: ‘I thought he was the right player. A lot of people were not sure at that price but Virgil has shown up to now that he is a good player and helped us.
‘Virgil is a person that speaks a lot and he tries to help defenders by talking to them. That’s good because he is a leader and helps the defensive line and also the midfielders.’