‘Never change your mind!’ - the golden rule for any player as they step up to the penalty spot.
In the high-pressured, psychological battle from 12 yards, we often hear players repeatedly being urged to stick with their first instinct regarding their kick.
Yet Mohamed Salah has revealed that he broke this age-old rule that every penalty-taker worth their salt, regardless of level, follows. And it was before the most important penalty of his club career to date, no less - the 2019 Champions League final.
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Liverpool were awarded a penalty against Tottenham Hotspur after just 24 seconds when Moussa Sissoko was ruled to have handled Sadio Mane’s cross in the box. Salah stepped up to give his side a second-minute lead in the Metropolitano Stadium, thundering past Hugo Lloris to the Egyptian’s right.
In truth, it’s hardly the best penalty of the forward’s career. The Spurs captain dived the right way only to fall under the strike. Yet that matters not, it gave Liverpool the lead, Divock Origi wrapped up a 2-0 win late on and the Reds won the European Cup for a sixth time.
Reflecting on the spot-kick, Salah has now revealed he was was left fuming with himself despite scoring after changing his mind during his run-up.
“I don’t want to lie, I changed my mind at the last second before hitting the ball,” Salah told Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard in an LFC Original, ‘When Stevie met Salah…’
“I was practising the whole week in the other side and in the last second as I was running to the ball, I changed my mind because I scored too many goals there… I was so mad because I don’t have to do it [change my mind] in a big game like that!”
Gerrard attended the 2019 Champions League final as a fan, and informed Salah that his goal actually made one fellow Reds legend cry.
“That was a special goal for me as well because I was at the game as a fan, I wasn’t doing the TV,” he said.
“I just went as a fan to enjoy it, the club invited me, and that goal made Kenny Dalglish cry. So always remember that you made the King cry – the King made the King cry!”
‘When Stevie met Salah’ will be available on LFCTV GO from 5pm on Thursday 9 March, with the first airing on LFCTV at 9:30pm.
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