UCL final: Salah is motivated by revenge against Real Madrid
Real Madrid assistant coach Davide Ancelotti believes Mohamed Salah is highly motivated to play against his team in the UEFA Champions League final.
On Saturday, the newly crowned La Liga champions will play the English side at Stade de France in the Uefa Champions League final.
When Salah learned the Reds will play Real Madrid in the final, he stated there “is a score to settle”.
It will be a repeat of the 2018 final when the Merseyside outfit lost 3-1 but the Egyptian was subbed in the first half after sustaining a shoulder injury.
“It is a great game to play against Real Madrid and I understand that [Salah] has the ambition to play against the greatest team in the competition,” Ancelotti said as quoted by PA Media.
“The players at this level are really competitive, so it is good that [Salah] can find motivation thinking about revenge. But the thing we have at Real Madrid is that we are always in the fight.
“We never give up and this is part of the history of these players and this club. It has been amazing to experience it [the journey to the final].
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“I have been lucky to live this experience alongside the players and will never forget it.”
The 32-year-old further added how Liverpool might be the best team in Europe but in the final, it matters not.
“We are facing a team that maybe is the best in Europe right now. But there are no favourites in the final. I think it is 50-50 because a Champions League final is unpredictable,” Ancelotti continued.
The youthful tactician, who is the son of manager Carlo Ancelotti, went on to explain why he feels playing Liverpool in the final would be special for his father.
“Of course, my father has a big history against Liverpool. In 1984, he was a player for Roma but was injured and could not play in that final,” he continued.
“In 2005 at AC Milan they were winning 3-0 and lost. In 2007 there was another Champions League final against Liverpool and they won.
“As a manager, he will have played five Champions League finals and this is the third against Liverpool. He also managed Everton, of course, so Liverpool [in the final] was his destiny.”