MO SALAH SPECIAL AGAIN, VAN DIJK REMINDS REAL MADRID WHO RULES

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk calls for a repeat of last season's 2-0 win over Real Madrid at Anfield, urging fans to recreate the electric atmosphere for the crucial Champions League clash and help continue their winning momentum.

Mo Salah special again, Van Dijk reminds Real Madrid who rules
Mo Salah, left, and Virgil van Dijk, right - via Getty Images

On and off the field, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has asked for a rematch of the team's thrilling victory over Real Madrid last season.

Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo's goals in the second half helped the Reds defeat the Spanish powerhouses 2-0 at Anfield last November. After a year, Real Madrid returns to the Premier League for another Champions League match.

Van Dijk believes that Liverpool's victory from the previous season was among their best performances, and he hopes the Reds can have a similar showing this time.

In his match notes, Van Dijk told Reds supporters, "Games do not come much bigger than Real Madrid at Anfield in the Champions League."

"As a player, these are the evenings you live for, so it goes without saying that we are all really looking forward to the challenge, and I am sure you guys are too."

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The Reds defeated Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday night to get back to winning ways after six losses in seven games across all competitions. Van Dijk believes that triumph, together with memories of the team's success over Real Madrid the previous season, will motivate the home crowd at Anfield.

Van Dijk went on, "Of course, we know what to expect, and they (Real) will too." "We beat them 2-0 at this time last year, and we deserved it with one of our best performances of the entire season. That evening, we were outstanding and put up a true team performance.

We shall need more of the same this evening. I recall that as one of the finest atmospheres of the entire season. From the first whistle to the last, we need your support, we need enthusiasm, and we need noise.

"The support against Aston Villa was excellent, in my opinion, and it was really valued. There has undoubtedly been a lot of noise and criticism, particularly from the outside, during this difficult time in terms of results, but on Saturday, you guys were there from the beginning, and your support undoubtedly helped us get a crucial three points."

Following Mohamed Salah's 250th goal for the Reds against Villa, Van Dijk again praised the Egyptian, praising his teammate for the accomplishment.

"I would like to acknowledge Mo Salah, who scored his 250th goal in a Liverpool shirt against Aston Villa," Van Dijk remarked.

"What a player, and what an accomplishment. Reaching that milestone at a club like Liverpool is truly unique, and the fact that he continues to be driven to work hard and get better every day speaks volumes about his character and professionalism. He is undoubtedly a role model for everyone.

He should score again tonight, and we should be able to add another significant victory to our record at Anfield.

ARSENAL POCKET INSANE £125.18M FOLLOWING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL QUALIFICATION

Mikel Arteta's side has added £15.97m to their cash reserves, eclipsing the total earned by current champions PSG last year.

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Arsenal Bag Extra £15.9m Prize Money After Historic Champions League Semifinal - Photo Credit: PA

Arsenal have added another £15.97 million to their UEFA prize money haul after securing a spot in the Champions League final with a win against Atletico Madrid. They are set to face either Bayern Munich or the current champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in Budapest on May 30, aiming for their first-ever triumph in this prestigious competition.

Beyond that, there’s an additional £5.61 million up for grabs in Hungary later this month. But up to now, Arsenal have amassed an eye-watering £125.18 million in Champions League prize money this season alone. A place in next season’s European Super Cup also carries a potential reward of around £3.45 million. It’s been a remarkable European run under Mikel Arteta, with the team dominating the group stage by winning all eight matches.

From the very beginning, the club benefited from the initial distribution of TV revenue and the rankings pool, which together amounted to £49.6 million. Even before the knockout rounds kicked off, Arsenal had already secured £85.3 million in prize money.

That total doesn’t even cover the bonuses linked to their on-field success, as each of their eight victories in the group stage brought in roughly £15.8 million altogether.

By finishing first out of 36 group-phase clubs, Arsenal earned an extra £8.6 million, and progressing straight to the round of 16 as one of the top eight teams secured them another £11.3 million.

They continued their strong run by eliminating Bayer Leverkusen after a 1-1 draw away and a 2-0 win at the Emirates, which added £10.8 million more to their earnings.

Overcoming Sporting CP in the quarter-finals also brought a £10.8 million bonus. While Arsenal’s motivation isn’t just financial, this level of income certainly aids in meeting profit and sustainability rules and other financial fair play criteria.

It’s also likely to support their summer transfer budget, as sporting director Andrea Berta looks to build on Arteta’s squad.

Last season, Arsenal took home £98.63 million after reaching the semi-finals before falling to PSG.

PSG, who went on to win the title, collected about £124.62 million last year, so Arsenal have now already surpassed that figure.

Meanwhile, UEFA has set aside a record £2.13 billion in prize money for the 2025-26 Champions League season, highlighting the competition’s growing financial stakes.

JAN OBLAK CONFESSES ATLETICO WERE "AFRAID TO PLAY" AGAINST ARSENAL

Following their Champions League exit, skipper Jan Oblak analysed where Atletico went wrong and paid tribute to Griezmann.

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Oblak Demands Mentality Shift At Atletico After Crashing Out To Arsenal - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jan Oblak didn’t hold back after Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League against Arsenal. He said straight up that the team just didn’t do enough to earn a spot in the final. Sure, he’s proud of how far the squad has come recently, but the way they went out still stings.

Oblak was pretty open about where things went wrong, especially after the first leg, when Atletico failed to take an advantage back to London. “I'm disappointed, just like all the fans. Honestly, I can’t find the words. We didn’t do enough to be in the final, and it’s just a tough moment. We had our chances to win, but we didn’t take them. All that’s left is to congratulate Arsenal.”

He didn’t stop there, either. Speaking to CBS Golazo, Oblak was even more direct about the team’s mentality, especially in the first half of both matches. He felt Atletico were hesitant, too respectful of Arsenal, and afraid to play. Both times, they fell behind before halftime and then tried to play catch-up, but it was always a little too late. “This has happened several times this season,” Oblak said, “and while we’ve managed to win those games before, not today when it mattered most.”

On the flip side, Oblak did give some credit to the young players and the growth the team’s shown, especially after a couple of big summers that saw a huge part of the squad change. “The last two seasons, we’ve switched out something like 15 players. A lot of young guys with not much experience came in. They did great in the cup, and they’ve held up in the Champions League too. In the league, we weren’t good enough for the biggest matches, but I’m proud of how the younger ones are growing. Still, when the goal is to win a title, and you don’t, you can’t call it a success. All we can do is look forward and hope we’ll be fighting for trophies next season.”

Saying goodbye to Antoine Griezmann made this exit even sadder for Oblak and the rest of the squad. Griezmann’s heading to Orlando City this summer, bringing the curtain down on his Champions League career with Atletico. “Everyone’s going to miss Griezi; he’s an incredible player and a great guy. The kind of person who’s always smiling, always positive, and does things on the pitch nobody else can. We’ll miss him a lot; the fans will miss him, but he deserves nothing but the best wherever he goes.”

At 33, Oblak is one of Atletico’s true leaders, right behind Koke for the captain’s armband. Alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Marcos Llorente, he’s been a

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