UCL Road To Kiev Final: Senegal’s Mane fires warning shots at Real Madrid

It is only two days before the winner of Europe’s elite club competition is decided in Ukraine. Record winners, Real Madrid will be looking to secure their third consecutive title when they face the challenge of the free-scoring Liverpool. A lot of talking points have been explored about this match, with the most popular one being that of the battle for supremacy as far as 2017/18 football matters are concerned, between the incumbent Cristiano Ronaldo and the Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah. The winner of the match is tipped to seal the fate of the 2018 Balon D’Or trophy for world’s best player.

Away from the noise of Salah and Ronaldo is the Senegalese who is just as dangerous. Mane scored 19 times in this campaign for Liverpool, behind Salah at 44 and the final third of the fab 3, Roberto Firmino weighing in at 27. Liverpool’s front three have become one of the fiercest attack flanked on both sides by the African connection and supported by the Brazilian. They seem not to be moved by the acclaimed BBC of Bale, Benzema, and Ronaldo and might perhaps turn the Champions League to a victim of an African rout. Mane has promised one thing come Saturday, goals galore! Liverpool has already smashed the record of goals scored in a single Champions League campaign having found the back of the net, 46 times already this season.

Here is what Sadio Mane had to say:

"I think more goals are coming. Of course, I am happy, but as a striker, you'd love to score every single game to help your team. Now we have one more important game, so why not try to do our best, score for the team and win the trophy?"

"The power of Liverpool Football Club is the collective. We always do everything together -- this is our power. Of course, it will not be easy because we know they have experience and also they have qualities in the team. We respect them a lot but we also have players and staff to beat any team in the world."