Mohamed Salah will be hoping that the ninth time is the charm as he faces Real Madrid once again tonight at Anfield. The Liverpool star has endured a string of disappointments against the Spanish giants, with seven losses and one draw in his previous encounters. Despite his immense success with Liverpool, Salah has found Real Madrid to be a formidable opponent, particularly on the biggest stage in the Champions League.
Tonight, Salah gets another opportunity to secure victory against Los Blancos as Arne Slot’s league-leading Liverpool, the only team to have won all four of their group-stage games, host a Real Madrid side struggling with injuries. As talk of Salah’s future at Liverpool continues to swirl, fans are hoping the Egyptian star can finally overcome his dismal record against the European champions.
Here’s a breakdown of Salah’s difficult history against Real Madrid:
2015-16 Round of 16 – Roma
In his first season with Roma, Salah was unable to make an impact as Real Madrid won both legs 2-0, eliminating the Serie A side. Real went on to clinch their 11th Champions League title, defeating Atletico Madrid in the final.
2017-18 Final – Liverpool
Salah’s most heartbreaking encounter with Real Madrid came in the 2018 final. The Egyptian was forced to leave the match early after a controversial challenge from Sergio Ramos dislocated his shoulder. With Salah sidelined, Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory, with goals from Karim Benzema and a brace from Gareth Bale, despite Sadio Mane’s equalizer.
2020-21 Quarter-finals – Liverpool
After a three-year wait for revenge, Salah faced Real Madrid behind closed doors in the quarter-finals. Although Salah scored in the second leg after Liverpool fell 2-0 down in the first half of the first leg, Real Madrid prevailed, winning 3-1 on aggregate. The second leg ended 0-0, marking the only time Salah has avoided defeat against them.
2021-22 Final – Liverpool
In another tense final, Salah and Liverpool were unable to break down Real Madrid’s defense. Vinicius Junior’s first-half strike proved to be the only goal of the game as Real Madrid triumphed 1-0 in Paris, denying Salah a second Champions League title.
2022-23 Round of 16 – Liverpool
The 2022-23 season saw Salah start brightly, setting up Darwin Nunez for an early goal and scoring one himself as Liverpool led 2-0 in the first leg. However, Real Madrid fought back and left Anfield with a dominant 5-2 win. The second leg saw Liverpool eliminated after Karim Benzema’s late strike sealed Real’s progression.
As Salah and Liverpool prepare for another crucial encounter with Real Madrid, all eyes will be on whether this time, he can overcome his past misfortunes and lead his side to victory.
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