Former Liverpool comrades Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane won’t be facing off in this season’s AFC Champions League Elite final. While Firmino’s Al-Ahli triumphed in their semi-final on Tuesday, Mane’s Al-Nassr were knocked out of the competition in their Wednesday tie.
Firmino has been a shining star in the AFC Champions League this year, despite being dropped from the club’s Saudi Pro League squad earlier in the season. His goal in the 3-1 victory over Al-Hilal on Tuesday was his sixth in the tournament, adding to his tally of five assists.
This meant that Al-Nassr knew they would be up against their SPL rivals if they could overcome Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale in their own tie. Mane managed to score an equalizer in the 28th minute, but he, Cristiano Ronaldo and their other ex-Premier League colleagues were left heartbroken as they narrowly lost 3-2.
Frontale are clearly not to be underestimated, as Al-Nassr currently sits above Al-Ahli in their domestic league table.
However, Al-Nassr’s defeat means there will be no reunion between the former Liverpool teammates in the grand final in Jeddah, who were once two-thirds of a lethal trio.
The pair have already met a number of times since making the move to the Middle East. One encounter early in their tenures with their respective clubs saw Firmino left particularly unamused with his former teammate after Mane celebrated an Al-Nassr goal by jumping on the Brazilian’s back.
During his time at Liverpool from 2015 to 2023, Firmino made 362 appearances, netting 111 goals and providing 76 assists. Mane, who joined in 2016 and departed in 2022, scored 120 goals and assisted 44 during his stint with the Reds.
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Beaming with pride, they connected for a whopping 23 goals during their Anfield tenure, each clinching a UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and of course, they were a cornerstone of the Premier League triumph of 2019/20.
Jurgen Klopp’s squad’s glory days have been further augmented under Arne Slot’s stewardship, as Liverpool just notched a record 20th English title on Sunday.
The third pillar of their esteemed trio, Mohamed Salah, has outstayed his counterparts and secured his future at the club until at least 2027 with a freshly inked contract. The Egyptian shared heartfelt thoughts about his old pals.
“It’s incredible. To win the Premier League with the fans is something special,” Salah opened up.
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“This is way better (than five years ago). 100 per cent. Without Sadio (Mane), without Jurgen and without Bobby (Roberto Firmino), without everybody… it’s more special with the fans.
“We have a different group now, a different manager, so that we’ve been able to show that we can do it again is something special.
“I wanted to win it at Anfield. The guys met last week to watch Arsenal versus Crystal Palace (who would have handed the title to Liverpool if they won). I didn’t want to win it there, I wanted to win it at Anfield.
“It’s something special and to be able to score and get this result is incredible.”
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
