“This is my best season” – Mohamed Salah comments on Ballon d'Or chances ahead of showdown with Karim Benzema
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has said that he is having the best season of his career, with the Egyptian and Karim Benzema touted for this year's Ballon d'Or award.
The 29-year-old has been in red-hot form for the Reds this season. He has bagged 30 goals and 14 assists and has been instrumental in his team's quest to win an unprecedented quadruple.
Salah is set to do battle in the UEFA Champions League final with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who himself has been in scintillating form this season. The veteran forward has bagged a remarkable 43 goals and 14 assists in 43 appearances across competitions.
Both Salah and Benzema are rumoured to be leading the way in the race for this year's Ballon d'Or. Salah told Sky Sports (via Eurosport) about his chances:
"This is my best season for me at Liverpool. The goal and assist numbers are high, and the way I created chances, the highest number in the Premier League, everything around the game has changed a lot.”
Mo Salah believes he's in the Ballon d'Or conversation 👀 https://t.co/uC3uDCZqwN
Mohamed Salah on facing Real Madrid in Champions League final
Liverpool suffered an agonising defeat to Real Madrid in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final.
In that game, Mohamed Salah sustained a first-half injury and had to be substituted early. The Reds went on to lose the game 3-1. Salah spoke about that demoralising defeat:
"You just feel so disappointed, so down. "Ah come on, not in this game!' But once you have time, it makes you forget."
He added:
"I had work affairs, and then I had a holiday after. In that holiday, I just asked - what do you want? To keep crying about it and be sad about it, and it takes you down? Or you just fight back. And I fought back in the best way ,and that's why we're here now (reaching 2022 final)."
Salah knows he'll be up against a formidable opposition, saying:
"Of course, I'm not giving too much credit to them. They're an unbelievable team with a great coach, great players. When they asked me who I wanted, I said Madrid. It's an easy answer."
Real Madrid...
Liverpool 🆚 Real Madrid...
The 2022 #UCLfinal is set! 🏆
#UCL https://t.co/GYFrvIHsUh
Liverpool are targeting a quadruple of trophies this season, having already wrapped up the Carabao Cup in February.
They face Chelsea at the Wembley Stadium on May 14 in the FA Cup final. Before that, they may already have the Premier League title in their hands. The Reds trail Manchester City by a point with four games remaining.