Salah: Everyone at Liverpool wanted Real | Final could pick Ballon d'Or winner

Mohamed Salah has admitted everyone at Liverpool wanted to play Real Madrid in this month's Champions League final - with the pain of 2018 still on the players' minds.

Real Madrid booked their spot in the Paris final alongside Liverpool when the Spanish side defeated Manchester City in Wednesday night's thrilling semi-final, with Karim Benzema scoring an extra-time winner.

The final between Real and Liverpool is a repeat of the 2018 final in Kyiv, which saw the Madrid club come out on top via a 3-1 victory - after Salah hobbled off the pitch with a shoulder injury in the first half.

Salah did not hide the fact that he preferred to play Real than Premier League rivals City in the May 28 showpiece event - and that it was an easy pick between the two.

"If you ask everybody [at Liverpool], everyone wanted that game," Salah exclusively told Sky Sports. "I don't know why we're not allowed to talk about it but I'm ok to talk about it - I wanted that game! I wanted to play Real Madrid before that game [against Manchester City].

"Of course, I'm not giving too much credit to them. They're an unbelievable team with a great coach, great players. When they asked me who I wanted, I said Madrid. It's an easy answer."

Salah had to be consoled by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after that 2018 final loss to Real and revealed a conversation with himself on holiday created a spark within him to get back on form - and win the Champions League 12 months later.

"You just feel so disappointed, so down," Salah recalled about the Kyiv disappointment. "'Ah come on, not in this game!' But once you have time, it makes you forget.

"I had work affairs and then I had a holiday after. In that holiday I just asked - what do you want? To keep crying