Salah: Do you think because of the last couple of weeks and months you became closest to me, do you think that has helped you to perform better?
Lovren: To be honest you kill my confidence.
Salah: I think we became friends by mistake…
Lovren: Mistake?
Salah: Yes.
Lovren: Usually me and Emre (Can), we did warm-ups with the balls and then Emre went and I had no options. But also you, you took off!
Salah: Sadio’s warm-up is killing me! I think in Marbella first time we had a lunch we were close after that.
Lovren: When you got the bill? Well, you offered to pay but it was me in the end who paid! It’s easy when you offer and somebody else pays.
Salah: No, no, I paid half. I offered to pay in the restaurant but you said “no no no no no, everyone has to put his credit card in and after we choose”. Then I said “please no I am lucky in that” but you do it and after your card. I told you to let me pay!
Lovren: I was glad that I paid. It was good fun, good people around us…
Salah: But you didn’t pay?
Lovren: What?
Salah: You have to be honest, you didn’t pay.
Lovren: Of course I paid.
Salah: You paid just the wine and then I paid the food.
Lovren: Whatever. Tell me about…
Salah:…the words? You can talk about that.
Lovren: Why are you being so confident?
Salah: Why not?
Lovren: I like that confidence. I love the confidence. But you know what I didn’t like was when you said to me “Hey Dej, can you drive me to the awards?” I said “sure no problem” and I thought he would sit just next to me and he was sitting behind so I really felt like a driver at that moment. At the end when he came out from the parking space and he opened the door and with my door he hit Simon (Mignolet)’s car. Simon was inside the car and he was like “what are you doing?” and I was like “Mo..nothing”
Salah: Simon looked at me like “what are you doing?” I said “I don’t know it is not my car”. I remember asking you to get me coffee but you didn’t get it. OK, when two friends go for a coffee.
Lovren: A drive-thru.
Salah: Yeah a drive-thru. You were in front and I was at the back so you know already what I ask for every time so you were in front of me, then you were going, then I was in behind you.
Lovren: Yes but when you drive through she asks you “Hello sir, good afternoon, how are you? I am this and this, what would you like?” and you just went to your point and went straight through. You just went through and the lady was like “hello?”
Salah: Yes she said hello and I was like “he should have ordered my coffee already” but I look at you and you didn’t order, you didn’t say anything.
Lovren: I didn’t know!
Salah: You didn’t know what? I want coffee? Why am I going there?
Lovren: As a friend, to support me?
Salah: What? To support you to get a coffee? Afterwards she went to give you all the coffee and you said “no, give to this guy”. What do you mean “this guy”, you don’t know my name?
Lovren: You know, I came on my turn and it took me maybe one minute to order my coffee. He came and of course took him 15 minutes to get his coffee because he was signing this, he was signing this and pictures. And I said come on.
Salah: Let’s talk about Virgil (van Dijk)
Lovren: Ooooof many questions
Salah: Toughest guy ever. I googled how old is he?
Lovren: What did you expect?
Salah: I expected maybe 35, 36 but to be honest he’s a great player, a great man, never paid in the restaurant but its fine. He’s a top guy and very happy to see him around us to enjoy the way he plays. Let me ask you this question.
Lovren: Oh, you have a question for me?
Salah: What about your celebration last game?
Lovren: Which celebration?
Salah: The one where you did [arms outstretched gesture] it like that. What was in your mind at that time? Me?
Lovren: Yeah…something like that you know. I felt like I want to show them my quality. Why should it always be Mo Salah who celebrates like that?
Salah: Why you stealing?
Lovren: I steal it?
Salah: Of course
Lovren: To be honest I answered you on some social media that I would do it before but I didn’t have the chance to score. That was the only problem for me.
Salah: Nah you had the chance but you missed.
Lovren: Why do you always celebrate in the same way, can I ask you?
Salah: I have more celebrations than Bobby (Firmino)!
Lovren: I know but every celebration you never smile! Because you are not happy to score a hat-trick or what? Tell me…
Salah: It became something normal [laughter] no, no that’s become too arrogant! I am always happy when I score to be honest.
Lovren: What do you think from the beginning with the Hoffenheim game? What did you expect, where did you think we would finish? What have your expectations been so far?
Salah: To be honest if you look at our team now compared to the beginning you see the improvement in each round, each game. We were fighting to be in the Champions League and now we are in the final Champions League game. It is something huge. It’s hard work and dedication.
Lovren: But did you expect that we will go so far? Did you believe?
Salah: To be honest yes. I believe 100 per cent. I believe from the first day I came here that we were going to play in the Champions League. I believe we are going to go far – as much as we can – so now we are in the final.
Lovren: What do you think was the toughest game for us in the Champions League? Where you thought it would be difficult?
Salah: If I have to mention one game it was Manchester City away.
Lovren: And the Rome game, what did you think about the Rome game?
Salah: The Rome game was very tough away but especially if you score first it makes it easier. Then after that you score a second goal, it makes it easier. But they scored two goals at the end so you know but I think Man City was the toughest one.
Lovren: What do you think about my assist for Milner?
Salah: Which one?
Lovren: When I gave the ball to Milly and he scored an own goal…Why you laughing? It’s an assist, right? I was feeling sorry for Milly because he had a red face.
Salah: A good ball right? But it was too hard for him.
Lovren: Are you ready for the final and what do you expect? Is it for you the biggest game of your life?
Salah: For me, each game is just a game. I focus always to win it and you know I don’t just want to put myself under pressure just to not perform in my way but in the end I know it is an important game for everyone. Huge game and everyone is excited in the city and at the club. We have to just focus and concentrate on the game and do less mistake as much as we can.
Lovren: I believe if we do similar game as to against Man City with this performance against Real Madrid I think we have no problem. Afterwards we can say, no matter what happened to go with our head up and to know we gave everything. After all this year, how we have been working. You remember from day one in Hong Kong as 10pm in the evening, training, running outside, no air. I think we really deserve this. You never know and hopefully everyone will be fit.
Salah: Will you be fit? What’s wrong?
Lovren: Do not worry about me. I am more worried about you.
Salah: Thank you, I think no one worries about you.
Lovren: Thank you for my confidence!