Mohamed Salah has admitted he was "mad" at himself for changing his mind before taking a penalty in the Champions League final.
Salah scored a second-minute spot kick during the 2019 final against Tottenham, but it was not his finest effort. The Egyptian only just got the better of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after deciding against his initial penalty plan - something he does not recommend.
Despite the slight blunder, Salah still scored and Liverpool went on to win their sixth Champions League crown. Divock Origi hit a late goal to end Tottenham's comeback bid and hand Jurgen Klopp's squad the biggest honour in European club football.
Salah made his surprise admission during an appearance on 'When Stevie Met Salah...' - a production by Liverpool's in-house media team. The forward was speaking to former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who was sacked as Aston Villa manager last October.
"I don’t want to lie, I changed my mind at the last second before hitting the ball," revealed Salah, who has played in three Champions League finals for Liverpool - losing the other two games to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2018 and 2022.
"I was practising the whole week in the other side and in the last second as I was running to the ball, I changed my mind because I scored too many goals there… I was so mad because I don’t have to do it [change my mind] in a big game like that!"
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Gerrard, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, often covers major European games as a pundit for BT Sport. Yet the former Reds skipper attended the 2019 final as a fan and has revealed Kenny Dalglish's reaction when Salah's penalty hit the net.
Gerrard told Salah, "That was a special goal for me as well because I was at the game as a fan, I wasn’t doing the TV. I just went as a fan to enjoy it, the club invited me, and that goal made Kenny Dalglish cry. So always remember that you made the King cry - the King [Salah] made the King - [Dalglish] cry!"
Yet Liverpool are set to experience tears of sadness rather than joy in Europe this season. The Reds were thumped 5-2 by Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie at Anfield, with the return game pencilled in for Wednesday night.
Klopp is refusing to give up hope, although he acknowledges a victory will be unlikely. He told reporters after the 5-2 loss, "I think Carlo [Ancelotti, the Real manager] thinks the tie is over, and I think it is as well at the moment, but in three weeks."
Klopp added, "We will go there and play a football game. It will be a massive challenge. We have to make sure we learn from this game."
The Champions League is Liverpool's last hope for a major trophy this season. The Reds failed to defend their titles in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, while they sit fifth in the Premier League table - 21 points behind leaders Arsenal.
