Liverpool: Slot rates Salah’s chances of winning Ballon d’Or; makes Messi claim and contract admission

Liverpool boss Arne Slot thinks the Reds will give Mohamed Salah a better chance of winning the Ballon d’Or if they win the Champions League this season.

Salah has been in amazing form once again this season with the Egypt international contributing 30 goals and 21 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.

His goals have catapulted Liverpool 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League, while they face Newcastle in the League Cup final and Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16 of the Champions League.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior last year and now Salah is being discussed as a potential winner in 2025.

On Monday, Jamie Carragher pointed to Salah’s lack of major trophy wins as a potential reason for the Liverpool star not being considered for a Ballon d’Or in the past.

And when asked about the likelihood of Salah winning the award, Slot told a press conference on Tuesday: “It’s mostly about attackers although the last winner was a midfielder [Rodri].

“It’s a good thing Mo is in the discussion as that means he is doing well and that means we are doing well. For him to stay in that discussion he should bring the same performances as he has done for seven or eight months now. In general, someone who wins the Ballon d’Or needs to win something as well.

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“That is a great challenge in front of us and in front of him. What I liked a lot is that he takes this challenge with a big goal and assist against City but [his] defensive work-rate the in second half particularly was outstanding and that is what it takes for us to have the chance to win something. If we as a team win something he has a far better chance to win an individual prize like the Ballon d’Or.”

Forgetting that Rodri also won the Euros with Spain, Slot added: “It would make his chance only bigger [if we win Champions League] but the last one who won it only won the Premier League. It’s not just about the amount of prizes you win, but [players] who won it in the past won the league or Champions League. But football is always like this — you need team the team to win individual prize and Mo understands that.”

When asked whether Salah’s form this term is on par with the likes of peak Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Slot said: “It’s so difficult to compare players with each other and it’s not fair to anyone. Mo has his own career and Mo has been outstanding.

“Messi didn’t play in the Premier League, but I don’t want to bring him down because he is incredible! But that makes the comparison even more difficult. Mo has had some outstanding seasons at Liverpool and we hope he can continue this for a longer period of time but to do that he has to extend his contract of course.”

Salah has been linked with a move away from Liverpool in the summer with his contract expiring but there are still expectations that he will eventually agree to stay at Anfield.

Slot continued: “You can say the better he does, the more expensive he might become. And if he did worse, we might have second thoughts about wanting to extend his contract! For everyone, it’s the best that he brings in the performances that he does now.

“Maybe not for the one who has to play him but for everyone else it’s best because if you want to play for this club you need to be at his level. We only need players who are at the top of their game because this is one of the best clubs in the world to play for. He needs to have these performances for him to play here and hopefully to extend here.”

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