Sadio Mané has pledged to give “the best answer you want to hear” about his future at Liverpool after Saturday’s Champions League final, and hopes a win against Real Madrid will improve his chances of converting. became the second African international winner of the Golden Ball. .
The Liverpool striker is out of contract in 2023, along with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, and unlike the Egyptian international has refused to reveal where he will play next season.
Mané promised in several interviews on the Liverpool Champions League media day this Wednesday to announce a decision after the Paris final. But the 30-year-old, linked with a move to Bayern Munich, has indicated that it will be a positive result for Liverpool. Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owner, is keen to extend Mané and Salah’s outstanding career at Anfield.
Mané said: “Honestly, the answer I can give you now is that I’m fine, and I’m totally focused on Saturday’s game. This is the answer I have to give before the final. But come back with me on Saturday and I’ll give you the best answer you want to hear, for sure. It’s special. Then I will give you everything you want to hear. For now, let’s win it because I don’t have time for other things. I will do my best to win it because it is my biggest dream and that of all the boys, then I will give you the answers ”.
A second Champions League win over Liverpool would enrich an already impressive season for Mané, who won the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal, led his country to the World Cup final and lifted the FA and the Carabao Cup. Successes have bolstered his claims to win the Golden Ball in 2022, but Mané has lamented his lack of African representation in an award dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the past 13 years. Liberian George Weah, in 1995, was the first and so far the only winner to play for an African national team. Eusébio, who won the Golden Ball in 1965, was born in Mozambique but played international football with Portugal.
Liverpool “motivated to win” after Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in 2018 – video
Mané, when asked if he believes that African players were ignored in the vote, replied: “It is true that it is sad. This cup, the Africa Cup of Nations, is the biggest trophy I have ever won and for an African player not to have won the Golden Ball since George Weah is sad, for sure. “
He hopes Saturday’s final may tip the vote in his favor. “We will do our best to win it and then we will see what happens with the Golden Ball,” he said. “I think I and all the Liverpool players have goals since the start of the season, which is to be afraid of all the trophies. So far we have won two and lost one, which is now behind, and Manchester City totally deserved it. And winning the Champions League would be special for me and all the other guys.
“We focus on that and we have to do our best to win. The rest is up to you. It would be even more special for me to have another bonus which is the Golden Ball, and it would be the happiest player in the world.” .
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Mané insists there will be no pressure on Liverpool and, although he scored in the final defeat of 2018 against Real, he does not believe he has a result to resolve. “It’s not about taking revenge on me,” he said. “Real Madrid totally deserved to win that Champions League.
“They were the best team in the game. I forgot. It was four years ago, right? There have been a lot of changes, we have more quality and we know more about how to win the big games, how to control them. We are a different team and this will be a game that will be different from all the others “.