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Liverpool started the Champions League final on the front foot and were the better side despite being underdogs to Real Madrid but an injury to Mohamed Salah half way through the opening period changed the match and saw them end the half hanging on.
Salah was forced to leave the pitch in tears following Sergio Ramos’ arm-bar rugby tackle that saw the Spanish international lock arms with Salah, pull him over, and land on top of Salah’s arm and shoulder, with it appearing that the Liverpool star suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Salah tried to continue to play but could not and eventually had to leave the pitch, being replaced by Adam Lallana, and the result was that Liverpool looked to have had the wind taken out of them, struggling for much of the rest of the half as Madrid grew in confidence.
Liverpool will need to use the half to adjust and to figure out a way to better compete with Madrid without the talented Egyptian whose World Cup will now be in doubt. If they can’t do that, a victory here in Kiev seems nearly impossible to imagine.
The Spanish giants, though, did suffer their own serious injury, with Dani Carvajal leaving the pitch in tears following a non-contact hamstring injury.
UPDATE: Mohamed Salah’s injury appears to be serious enough that his participation in the World Cup is now in question.
BBC reporting Salah will miss the World Cup Diagnosis now a dislocated shoulder. #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/05Yc7HXwKW
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) May 26, 2018
UPDATE (5:26 EST): There are now reports that cast a bit of doubt onto the extent of Salah’s injury as it’s apparently to his joint which would suggest a potentially speedier recovery.
The Egyptian Football Association claims their doctor has been in touch with Liverpool medical staff and confirms that Salah’s injury is to the “shoulder joint” but it is unclear the extent of the damage. X-rays happening soon. https://t.co/w9PhWGyA2h
— Karim Zidan (@ZidanSports) May 26, 2018