Mohamed Salah has admitted he still feels conflicted about a significant moment in his Champions League career with Liverpool.
The Egyptian forward, who has featured in three Champions League finals for the Reds, played a crucial role in their 2019 triumph over Tottenham in Madrid, scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot.
However, Salah’s journey in the competition has not been without disappointment.
He was famously forced to leave the pitch in tears after sustaining an injury in the first half of the 2018 final against Real Madrid, a match Liverpool went on to lose.
Four years later, in the 2022 final against the same opposition, Salah and Liverpool were denied victory once more, with Thibaut Courtois’ standout performance keeping the Reds at bay in a narrow defeat.
Despite these setbacks, Salah has cemented his legacy as Liverpool’s all-time leading goalscorer in European competitions, netting 48 times, with 43 of those goals coming in the Champions League.
This season, Salah has continued to demonstrate his prowess, scoring once and providing four assists in Liverpool’s Champions League group stage matches, helping manager Arne Slot’s side maintain a perfect record and secure the top spot at the halfway mark.
As Salah’s current contract at Anfield is set to expire next summer, the 32-year-old is aware that this could be his final campaign with Liverpool.
Understandably, he will be eager to make the most of what could be his last opportunity to achieve Champions League glory with the club.
Reflecting on Liverpool’s 2019 Champions League victory, Salah revealed in the second episode of ‘The Reds Roundtable,’ alongside teammates Alisson Becker and Andy Robertson, that he still feels some regret over his penalty goal against Tottenham.
He admitted he changed his mind about where to place the shot during his run-up, a decision that continues to linger in his mind despite the successful outcome.
“I changed my mind where to put the ball when I was running,” he explained.
“I practised the whole week on the other side.
“Then I just took the run like this and when I hit the ball, I just changed my mind and I felt bad. I felt really bad after that, even until now. Every time I see it, I say, ‘Why did I change my mind?’
“Because sometimes when you take a decision and you practise very well, and you miss, you don’t feel bad about it. I did my everything and had bad luck.
“But when you change your mind in the Champions League final, it was too much pressure, to be fair.
“But I just managed to stay calm and say, ‘Just shoot the ball inside the net and that’s it.’
“Oh, sometimes, yeah (I’ve changed my mind). Sometimes, yeah. Not on this stage! I didn’t expect it on this stage!”
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