It’s impossible to think about Saturday’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid without talking about the comparisons between Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Both have been goalscoring machines for their respective teams this season but who is the better player? And more importantly who will make the difference in Kiev?
Ronaldo has spent most of his career being compared with a talented, diminutive left-footer in Lionel Messi, and now he comes up against a similar foe in the form of Salah.
The Portuguese leads his Real Madrid side looking for a third straight Champions League title, and they are 4/6 favourites to lift the trophy with Liverpool 11/10 to conquer Europe for a sixth time.
Salah has exploded onto the world scene with his exploits for Liverpool this season, while Ronaldo has been piling up astonishing scoring numbers for years now, but who will get the edge in Kiev?
Let’s look at a few deciding factors…
⚪️ Ronaldo v Salah 🔴
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 25, 2018
📊 2017/18 Stats
⚪️ 43 Games 51 🔴
⚽️ 44 Goals 44 ⚽️
👌 7 Assists 14 👌
📊 2017/18 #UCL
⚪️ 12 Games 12 🔴
⚽️ 15 Goals 10 ⚽️
👌 2 Assists 4 👌
💷 #UCLfinal odds
⚽️ 4/6, 5/6
⚽️⚽️+: 11/4, 7/2
🎩 12/1, 18/1
Both score 2/1#LFC #RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/rfgo3jqbZQ
Salah v Ronaldo goals
The Egyptian has 44 goals in total this season in what has been a Ronaldo or Messi-esque performance, although he now needs to do that for a decade to match their achievements! It's fantastic effort nonetheless, but he will hope it is just the start.
Ronaldo may have had a relative down year in La Liga terms, but he has scored 50 goals for club and country for an incredible eighth consecutive season and tops the Champions League charts yet again with 15 goals. He's slowed slightly but has found new ones to score the goals.
How do Salah & Ronaldo threaten?
Running at defenders down the right and cutting in on his left foot is Salah’s attack of choice, with quick feet and pace causing defenders nightmares. Doubling up is the best way to combat him, but that’s not really in the Real Madrid playbook.
Ronaldo has altered his style of play somewhat so is not charging down the flanks anymore, but he’s still a constant threat and the team is geared towards getting him the ball in dangerous areas. His movement inside the box is brilliant and he’s also a fantastic header of the ball – something which could really hurt Liverpool.
Salah & Ronaldo Champions League final odds
- Salah to score a brace - 9/2
- Ronaldo to score from outside the area - 9/1
- To score the first goal: Ronaldo - 11/4; Salah - 100/30
- To score & win: Ronaldo - 13/8; Salah - 3/1
- Ronaldo & Salah both to score - 2/1
Salah v Ronaldo big game experience
The major downside for Salah is his lack of big-game experience given this is his breakthrough year. He excelled in both games with Manchester City and the home leg with Roma, but was quiet out in the Italian capital. He did, however, score the 95th-minute penalty that got Egypt to the World Cup showing he can handle the pressure of the big occasion.
What more can you add about five-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo? He’s played in five Champions League finals, winning four and scoring in three of them. Throw in winning Euro 2016 with Portugal and Ronaldo has won everything bar the World Cup, which he could change this summer.
Yes, Ronaldo does tend to try and make these special occasions all about him, but more often than not he does prove to be the deciding factor, and nobody would be surprised if that was the case again on Saturday.
Salah v Ronaldo influence on their teams
Real Madrid do set up to feed Ronaldo the ball, but labelling them as a one-man team is crazy – yes he’s the obvious goal threat but the team is dripping with talent. Karim Benzema is still hugely underrated despite his buckets of goals, while Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos scored the crucial goals in two final wins over Atletico Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp is a big team man and Salah is part of a three-pronged attack that can hurt teams in a manner of ways. Stopping Salah will slow Liverpool down but Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino can easily pop up and provide crucial goals.
In short, both men can be the difference but both teams also have different ways to hurt you - it should all make for an eventful final in Kiev.
Salah v Ronaldo stats
- Club appearances (all competitions): Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 43, Salah (Liverpool) 51
- Club goals (all competitions): Ronaldo 44, Salah 44
- Domestic league goals: Ronaldo 26, Salah 32
- Domestic league assists: Ronaldo 5, Salah 10
- Champions League goals (includes qualifiers): Ronaldo 15, Salah 11
- Champions League assists (includes qualifiers): Ronaldo 2, Salah 4
- Two goals in a game: Ronaldo 11 times, Salah 7
- Three goals in a game: Ronaldo 1, Salah 0
- Four goals in a game: Ronaldo 1, Salah 1
- Longest scoring streak: Ronaldo 12 games (22 goals), Salah 7 games (twice)
- Longest run without a goal: Ronaldo 3 games, Salah 3 games
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Odds correct as of 1420 BST on 23/05/18
