Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has stepped up the war of words with Liverpool ahead of their Champions League final meeting, warning Mohamed Salah about the “burden” of trying to seek revenge for their defeat in 2018.
Much of the build-up to Saturday’s game has surrounded Salah and his determination to make amends for Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Los Blancos four years ago, when the Egyptian was forced off with a shoulder injury in the first half following a collision with Sergio Ramos.
However, Carvajal has now suggested that Salah could be weighed down by the pressure of trying to avoid a repeat of that painful defeat in Kyiv.
What did Carvajal say about Salah and the Champions League final?
After Liverpool secured their place in the final earlier this month, Salah suggested revenge would be on his mind, though this was played down in a news conference earlier this week.
Asked about Liverpool’s motivations for this weekend's game in Paris, Carvajal told ABC: “I don’t know if Salah or Liverpool are in the mood for revenge.
“It is true that when you lose a Champions League final you always want to have a second chance against that same team in order to beat them.
“Let’s hope it’s not an important burden for Salah to lose a second Champions League final against Real Madrid.”
'A 14th Champions League success could be Real's most impressive'
Real Madrid have had a tough run to the final, beating Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City on route to the French capital.
Should they go on and lift the trophy, Carvajal admits it could be considered the club's greatest-ever achievement given the fact they had to come from behind in all three of their knockout ties.
“It could be,” said Carvajal. "This and the thirteenth [in 2018], which was PSG, Juventus, Bayern and Liverpool in the final.
“But today given how football is, which is not 'you pay to win' but almost, perhaps this is more [impressive].
“Other leagues have a significant economic injection. So beating the two finalists from last year [Chelsea and Man City], and the PSG of [Kylian] Mbappe, [Lionel] Messi, Neymar and Ramos makes us grow and show the world what Madrid is and what this club means.”
