Salah Wants Real Madrid Revenge in Champions League Final

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates with teammate Ibrahima Konate their win after the UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg match between Villarreal CF and Liverpool FC in Villarreal, Spain, 03 May 2022. (EPA)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates with teammate Ibrahima Konate their win after the UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg match between Villarreal CF and Liverpool FC in Villarreal, Spain, 03 May 2022. (EPA)
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Salah Wants Real Madrid Revenge in Champions League Final

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates with teammate Ibrahima Konate their win after the UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg match between Villarreal CF and Liverpool FC in Villarreal, Spain, 03 May 2022. (EPA)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates with teammate Ibrahima Konate their win after the UEFA Champions League semifinal, second leg match between Villarreal CF and Liverpool FC in Villarreal, Spain, 03 May 2022. (EPA)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah said he wants to face Real Madrid rather than Manchester City in the Champions League final as the Egyptian forward targets revenge for his team's 2018 defeat by the Spanish side.

Salah left the field in tears following a heavy fall under a challenge by Sergio Ramos in Liverpool's 3-1 defeat by Real in the final of Europe's elite club competition four years ago.

On Tuesday, Liverpool secured a 5-2 win on aggregate against Villarreal in their semi-final and will discover who they play in the May 28 final later on Wednesday as City face Real.

"I want to play Madrid," Salah told BT Sport. "City is a really tough team, we've played against them a few times this season. If you ask me personally, I'd prefer Madrid.

Asked if he wanted revenge against the Spanish side, Salah said: "We lost in the final against them, so I want to play against them and hopefully win it from them as well."

Liverpool found themselves 2-0 down at Villarreal but three goals in a 12-minute spell after the break helped them advance to their third Champions League final in five seasons.

Salah hailed the character of Liverpool, who are chasing an unprecedented quadruple of trophies this season.

"It was tough in the first half but then we went to the dressing room, the gaffer (Juergen Klopp) started talking and we talked to each other as well," Salah said.

"That character and personality in the dressing room shows that we are a top team, so that's why we can strike back after losing 2-0 in the first half playing away."



Sinner Re-Appoints Former Fitness Coach Ferrara 

Italy's Jannik Sinner shows the trophy from the balcony of Centre Court after beating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to win the men's singles final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP)
Italy's Jannik Sinner shows the trophy from the balcony of Centre Court after beating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to win the men's singles final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP)
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Sinner Re-Appoints Former Fitness Coach Ferrara 

Italy's Jannik Sinner shows the trophy from the balcony of Centre Court after beating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to win the men's singles final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP)
Italy's Jannik Sinner shows the trophy from the balcony of Centre Court after beating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to win the men's singles final at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP)

Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner has re-appointed his former fitness coach Umberto Ferrara with immediate effect, the Italian world number one confirmed on Wednesday.

Sinner parted ways with Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi last year following the investigation into his positive tests for banned substance clostebol.

"The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik's management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open," a statement from Sinner's team said.

"Umberto has played an important role in Jannik's development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level."

Sinner served a three-month suspension earlier this year after agreeing a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February after authorities accepted that the anabolic agent clostebol had entered his system inadvertently via massages from Naldi at Indian Wells in March 2024.

WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against an independent tribunal's decision last August to clear Sinner of wrongdoing.

Sinner, who returned to action in May and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final before beating him to win Wimbledon, said clostebol, which can build muscle mass, entered his system after Naldi applied an over-the-counter spray to a cut on his own hand before carrying out treatments on Sinner.

The spray had been given to Naldi by trainer Ferrara.

Sinner was cleared of fault or negligence by an independent tribunal.

Speaking at last year's US Open, Sinner explained his decision to part ways with Ferrara and Naldi.

"Now, because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them. I was struggling a lot in the last months. I was waiting for the result. The only thing I need right now is some clean air," he said.

Ferrara, who had laid the blame for the incident on Naldi, worked with Sinner's fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini this year.

Sinner, 23, had split with Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, his trainer and physiotherapist, before Wimbledon.