Mohamed Salah joined regulars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on UEFA’s shortlist for the best forward who played in Champions League last season, football’s European governing body has announced.
Ronaldo, who won the award last year, topped the scoring charts with 15 goals in the competition as Real Madrid won a third consecutive European crown.
Egypt’s Salah led Liverpool’s remarkable run to the final with 10 goals and four assists, that was on the top of a record 32 goals in the Premier League. While Barcelona talisman Messi netted six goals in the European competition.
The best defender is sure to be from Real with their trio of Marcelo, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane the only names short-listed for the award.
Real duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will compete with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne for the midfielder award.
New Liverpool signing Alisson’s performances for AS Roma earned him a place on the goalkeeper shortlist.
He will compete for the honor with Real Madrid’s Costa Rica international Keylor Navas and Italian Gianluigi Buffon, who completed a switch from Juventus to Paris Saint Germain last month.
The winners will be announced during the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on Aug. 30.
The nominees were selected by a jury of 32 coaches from last year’s Champions League participants and 55 journalists.
Mohamed Salah up against Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for Champions League best forward award
Mohamed Salah up against Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for Champions League best forward award
- The Egyptian ace scored 10 goals as Liverpool marched all the way to the final.
- Winners to be announced at the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on Aug. 30.
Kane helps Bayern past Leipzig into German Cup semis
- Bayern join defending champions Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg in the last four of this season’s competition
MUNICH, Germany: Harry Kane scored a penalty and Luis Diaz struck again as Bayern Munich beat RB Leipzig 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup semifinals for the first time since 2020.
Already on the wrong side of two Bayern thumpings this season, Leipzig were much improved but the hosts grabbed hold of the match with two goals in four second-half minutes.
Bayern join defending champions Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg in the last four of this season’s competition.
Kane’s penalty was his 39th goal in all competitions for Bayern this season, while Diaz’s goal was his fifth in his past three matches.
Winners of this competition a record 20 times, 14 more than any other club, Bayern had failed to make it past the quarter-finals since 2020, when they beat Leverkusen in the final.
Leipzig had won two of the past four German Cups but Bayern had form over the visitors this season, winning their two Bundesliga clashes by a combined score of 11-1.
Leipzig pressured the hosts early and were celebrating a goal after just four minutes, but an acrobatic Christoph Baumgartner strike was disallowed for a narrow offside.
Bayern immediately made the most of the let-off, Kane forcing a last-ditch clearance from Ridle Baku with the Leipzig goalkeeper laying on the turf.
The home side gradually wrestled control of the match and were unlucky not to take the lead with 57 minutes gone when Leipzig ‘keeper Maarten Vandevoordt denied Serge Gnabry with a stunning save.
Bayern were in front just five minutes later, Kane converting from the spot after Vandevoordt felled an advancing Josip Stanisic in the box.
Kane’s spot-kick, his fifth goal versus Leipzig this season, was his 12th penalty in all competitions this campaign.
Bayern’s goals this season have come in bursts and the Bavarians scored again just four minutes later, when Michael Olize found Diaz on the counter to help book a spot in the final four.
The German Cup final will be held at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on May 23.
