'Why not?': Liverpool star Salah reignites talk of Spain switch ahead of Real Madrid Champions League clash
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has reignited speculation of a move to Spain through an interview in the Spanish press, ahead of meeting Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Egyptian forward spoke to Spanish sports daily newspaper MARCA, and was expectedly probed on his future.
"It's not up to me. We'll see what happens but I prefer not to talk about that now," Salah said when asked if he saw himself at another club after a successful four seasons at Anfield.
When it was put to him whether he was keen to try out Spanish football, having already played in England and Italy, the 29-year-old answered: "I hope to be able to play for many more years. Why not? No one knows what's going to happen in the future, so... maybe one day, yes."
Mohamed Salah has again refused to commit his future to Liverpool...
This has naturally stirred talk of Salah, whose contract expires in 2023, switching to Real Madrid.
And despite bad memories of Los Blancos following defeat in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev, Salah harbors no hard feelings towards them or captain Sergio Ramos, whose roughhouse treatment caused him to leave the field early in the 3-1 defeat.
"That game is in the past, so I don't think about it," Salah laughed. "I'm thinking about the team. Everyone is focused on their team and everyone wants to win... that's it."
Complimenting Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, Salah called him "a great coach".
"He's won three Champions Leagues. He's doing a very good job with the team. He left and he came back to help the team win trophies again. He was one of my idols when I was little. He's doing great as a coach."
When pushed to choose a favorite player from their quarterfinal rivals, Salah said: "I can't pick one... the majority of them are great players. [Eden] Hazard. I have a great relationship with him, he did very well at Chelsea, but he's not getting any luck at the moment.
"Luka [Modric]. I also get on really well with him. We've met each other a few times. I can't pick one because they're top players and it's a top club."
On citing the differences between the teams nearly three years on from that night in the Ukrainian capital, Salah noted: "Since then, we've won the Premier League and the Champions League. We're winners. That's a big change."
"They've lost some great players, like Cristiano Ronaldo - the best in the club's history, someone that scored so many goals. At the same time, they've signed Hazard. Eden's been unlucky, he's been injured... But it's a different team.
"This team is in the quarter finals, it has great players, although they've lost Ronaldo's goals... I can't say which is better. All I can say is that they're in the quarters now, that I'm sure they're prepared and... that we have to be ready to face them."
Mo Salah on what has changed since Kiev:
"We've won the Premier League and the Champions League. We're winners. That's a big change." #awlfc [marca] pic.twitter.com/ACFPKNosng
Insisting "I think we're the team that suffers most without fans," when asked which outfit will fare worst in the tie without their supporters, Salah also found it difficult to pick a clear winner.
"I think we're both strong. Both teams have won their last two games in the Champions League. Both teams are prepared. It's a special competition and both teams are doing well in it."
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