World Class Salah Can Win Liverpool the Champions League

Liverpool have had a lot of great players over the years. They’ve had a lot of world class players, even. After a little more than half a season, it’s clear that no matter how long he sticks around at Anfield, they now have another in Mohamed Salah.

That’s what Roma legend and Salah’s former teammate Francesco Totti believes—and he believes Salah can still get even better and that his role in Liverpool’s attack makes the English club genuine Champions League contenders this season.

“The level he is playing at at the moment, he is one of the best players in the world,” said Totti. “And I think he can and will get even better. I know him well. He does all the right things, he trains hard, he works hard, he listens to the coaches.

“As good as he is playing at the moment, I think maybe there is even one more level in him. He is one of those players who can make the difference in the big games. That is why Liverpool cannot be ruled out of winning the Champions League.”

Salah has so far registered 30 goals and 10 assists in 36 games for Liverpool, good for a goal involvement every 72 minutes. By comparison, Lionel Messi has a goal involvement every 75 minutes and Premier League top scorer Harry Kane is at 78.

Cristiano Ronaldo has a goal involvement every 81 minutes while Liverpool’s last world class player and Messi’s teammate, Luis Suarez, is at 104. Only Neymar, in the weak French league, is well ahead of the pack at a goal involvement every 57 minutes.

At least as measured by goals and assists, Salah is near the top amongst world class company—and there’s nothing to call the way he’s performed this season besides world class. So says Totti—and anyone else who’s been paying attention.

“There are more complete teams in the competition,” Totti added, “but when you have a player like him, you start to believe anything is possible.”