Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James believes there is nothing wrong with Mohamed Salah wanting to reach the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Salah was infamously expelled with a shoulder injury caused by Sergio Ramos in the first half of the 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv, when a horror show by Loris Karius saw the set of Jurgen Klopp fall 3-1 against the league as a whole.
But the two meet again this weekend after the Spanish giants produced an impressive comeback against Manchester City in the semi-finals. The Reds reserved their place in the Paris clash after beating Villarreal in the final four.
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And immediately after Real’s victory in the semi-finals, the Liverpool striker turned to social media to send a strong message about the possibility of facing Carlo Ancelotti’s team. He wrote: “We have an account to settle.”
But former Reds goalkeeper James, who spoke exclusively with ECHO through Genting Casino, believes there is nothing wrong with Salah wanting revenge for what happened at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium.
He said: “Why shouldn’t he have some kind of personal revenge as well as team revenge? The guy who was fired. I was there and they took him out. It fundamentally affected Liverpool to win that title.
“I think they both allow it. Personal revenge? Yes. As long as you play as part of the team, you can have that personal revenge.
“If he doesn’t score in the final, and (Diogo) Jota or (Luis) Diaz get the hat-trick and Salah doesn’t do much, then he will have taken revenge.
“I don’t think that’s why Mo Salah should score the winning goal. I think this is perfectly acceptable and brave, I must say, because it has made it public in the world.
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“But at the same time this shows a lot of confidence, and in this Liverpool there is a lot of confidence. I applaud Salah for that.”
Salah’s future has been discussed at length in recent months with the 29-year-old who has not yet reached a new deal with the Reds. When asked recently about contract negotiations, Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool “can’t do much more” except wait for the striker’s final decision.
The striker has been in good form for Liverpool this season, scoring 31 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions. ECHO understands that negotiations are underway between representatives of the striker and the club, with Salah in the last two years of his current agreement which was signed in 2018.
The Reds are ready to reward the Egyptian for his continued outstanding contribution since arriving from AS Roma for £ 43.9 million in the summer of 2017. Liverpool have extended the contracts of several players during the last year.
But James believes Liverpool’s strategy with Salah should be applauded and warned the striker that he is no bigger than the club, and that the Reds will already be looking at someone to come in if he does not renew his deal.
He said: “I think what we have to applaud again is Liverpool’s strategy because in the end they will know the value of Salah.
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“If Liverpool break their strategy to make Mo Salah happy, when will they stop breaking it? Because Mo Salah has been fantastic, Bota d’Or again, but imagine Alisson wasn’t happy all of a sudden after signing a contract five years old because Mo was not allowed to be happy.
“Suddenly you have a house of cards. No matter how much you love Mo Salah, I think Liverpool will already have someone lined up if Salah should no longer be at the club.
“Who is this? I don’t know. Who would you line up to replace Alisson Becker? Who would you line up to replace Van Dijk? So Liverpool have to stay with the model, they have to believe in the model.
“The fact that they are about to win the treble this season with their backs to being Premier League champions and European champions, all these trophies with the same model, that if Salah does not want to be part of it, is” Because Liverpool do not want it, it is because Salah does not agree to be part of this model.
“It’s the same with any player who goes to Liverpool. If they can’t accept what Liverpool is doing and the club is bigger than the individual, they will have to move on.”