Mohamed Salah has claimed Liverpool ’deserved’ to win the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Liverpool’s hopes of becoming European champions for a seventh time and securing a third trophy of the season were ended by Real Madrid in Paris.
Salah – seeking revenge after suffering an injury in the 2018 Champions League final, which Real Madrid won – was denied six times by an inspired Thibaut Courtois.
The former Chelsea goalkeeper also kept out Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz as Vinicius Junior’s second-half winner separated the sides and saw Real Madrid secure a record-extending 14th Champions League title.
But Salah believes Liverpool ‘deserved’ to lift the trophy because of the amount of chances his team-mates created.
‘We deserved to win, we had more chances, I got two or three quite big ones but, each time, Thibaut Courtois made incredible saves,’ Salah told L’Equipe.
‘It’s his job, Real recruited him for that. He earned his Man of the Match award. It was his evening.’
Liverpool won the Champions League 12 months after they were beaten in the 2018 final and Salah is hoping for a similar trend this time around.
Shortly after Real Madrid’s win in the French capital, Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp vowed to take Liverpool back to the Champions League final in 2023.
Salah added: ‘Here again, I draw inspiration from the past. In 2018 we lost the Champions League final, already against Real Madrid and the following season we were European champions.
‘That’s what I’m aiming for. We must always look ahead, not complain.’
Salah also laughed off suggestions he endured a disappointing season, having lost the Champions League final less than a week after Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League title.
Klopp’s side were eyeing an unprecedented quadruple going into the final few weeks of the season, having beaten Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup and EFL Cup finals.
Salah, who scored 31 goals in 51 games for Liverpool last season, said: ‘Of course, there were these big disappointments, but can we talk about a failed season? I don’t think so.
‘I ended up top scorer and top assister in the Premier League, I was voted player of the year by English journalists and by my peers.
‘I was consistent and decisive all season and Liverpool produced exciting play and won two trophies. You don’t have to darken the picture.’
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