Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on February 23, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Arne Slot says Mohamed Salah will have a “far better chance” of winning the Ballon d’Or if runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool win silverware this season.
The Egyptian superstar, 32, is the favourite to win the award, regarded as the top individual prize in football, after a sensational campaign so far.
Salah, who is yet to sign a new deal to keep him at Anfield beyond the end of this season, has scored 30 goals and provided 21 assists in all competitions during the current campaign.
But Liverpool manager Slot said Tuesday that despite those stellar numbers, the club need to win major trophies to help their forward win his first Ballon d’Or.
“It’s a good thing that Mo is in the discussion because it means he does well and it means we are doing well,” the Dutchman said on Tuesday.
Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) shoots past Manchester City’s Croatian defender #24 Josko Gvardiol but has his shot saved during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on February 23, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
“But for him to stay in that discussion, he should bring in the same performances as he’s done for seven or eight months now.
“And I think, in general, someone that wins the Ballon d’Or needs to win something as well, so it’s a great challenge that is in front of us, but also in front of him.”
Liverpool, who host Newcastle on Wednesday, are 11 points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with 11 games to go but Slot said he does not fear complacency.
“We all know these players are so long in this competition, even much longer than me, so they know how difficult every single game is, and if you have to play 11, it’s still a long way to go,” he said.
Liverpool’s Dutch manager Arne Slot celebrates at the end of the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on February 19, 2025. Aston Villa and Liverpool equalised 2 – 2. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Liverpool are also in the final of the League Cup, where they will face Newcastle again, and will meet Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Slot was asked at his pre-match press conference whether Salah’s current form could be compared with that of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at their peak but he shied away from direct comparisons.
“He (Salah) has had some outstanding seasons here at Liverpool, and we hope he can continue this for a longer period of time, but to do that he first has to extend his contract of course,” he said.
The Liverpool boss was also asked whether Salah’s red-hot form would make it easier or more difficult for the club to agree a new deal.
“You can look at it in both ways,” he said. “You can say the better he does, the more expensive he might become, and if he does really worse, we would have second thoughts if we wanted to extend his contract.
“So I think for everyone it’s the best that he brings in the performances he does now. Maybe only for the one that has to pay him it’s not the best, but for everyone else it’s the best.”
Barcelona forward, Lamine Yamal, has admitted that Victor Osimhen’s disallowed goal could have made their Champions League clash with Galatasaray more difficult.
Osimhen thought he had made it 2-0 to the Turkish champions in the first half.
However, his powerful header was chalked off following a VAR review.
Barca then fought back and overpowered Galatasaray, scoring four goals to take all three points.
But Yamal has claimed that if Yellow and Red had gone two goals up, their job would have been harder than it became.
“If Galatasaray’s second goal hadn’t been disallowed, our job in Istanbul would have been very tough,” Yamal said per Le Marca Sports.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Al-Nassr won an AFC Champions League match which was delayed by an hour because of a missile alert.
Ronaldo scored Al-Nassr’s second goal as the Saudi Pro League champions beat Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 on Monday.
Kick-off was delayed after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued a safety warning just 15 minutes before the scheduled start time in Riyadh, the capital city which has been the target of missiles fired from Yemen-based Houthis.
Following attacks on Riyadh’s airport, explosions were heard in the capital on Monday night. The Saudi-led military coalition said a ballistic missile had been intercepted and destroyed.
Future sporting events could be affected by the regional conflict, including Formula 1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Once Al-Nassr were able to get under way, Ange Postecoglou’s team went ahead through Angelo in the 33rd minute and Ronaldo doubled their lead before half-time.
Uzbekistan champions Neftchi pulled a goal back, but they were reduced to 10 men after 65 minutes and an own goal 13 minutes later sealed a first Group B victory for the hosts.
Nigeria international Frank Onyeka made a good account of himself as Coventry City defeated Newcastle United 4-1 in Monday night’s Premier League fixture.
Despite seeing just 12 minutes of action, Onyeka came in and impressed as Coventry made it back-to-back win in the English topflight this season.
It was Onyeka’s fifth appearance in the Premier League this season for newly promoted Coventry.
His Nigerian teammate Taiwo Awoniyi was not in action for Frank Lampard’s side due to suspension.
Early goals at the start of each half from Jack Rudoni and Sidiki Cherif put Coventry City in course for their first brilliant Premier League win at the CBS Arena.
Although the Magpies pulled one back 20 minutes from time, super subs Ellis Simms and Stephen Mfuni scored in the 81st and 86th minutes to secure a huge three points for the Sky Blues.
The win took Coventry up to 14th place on six points while Newcastle, on eight points, are in 11th in the league table.
