Salah Forced Off in Tears as Injury Rocks Liverpool's Champions League Final Quest

Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah (3rd R) is comforted by team members and Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd L) as he leaves the pitch after injury during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine on May 26, 2018. Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP

Liverpool lost 44-goal talisman Mohamed Salah inside 30 minutes of their Champions League final clash with Real Madrid, with the Egyptian forward forced from the field in tears.

The Reds had been looking for the Premier League Golden Boot winner and PFA Player of the Year to produce one more inspirational display in Kiev and guide them to European glory.

His evening was, however, to be cut cruelly short after tangling with Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

As Salah attempted to evade the clutches of the Spain international defender, both men ended up on the turf.

The Liverpool man came off worse and was eventually forced to accept that he could not carry on. The club confirmed at half-time that Salah had suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder.

Ramos had got hold of Salah’s arm during an unfortunate coming together, but the inflicting of a game-ending injury was entirely unintentional.

That, though, is of no comfort to the 25-year-old star who had been hoping to light up the grandest of sporting occasions, nor the Liverpool supporters who were looking to their Player of the Year to deliver the goods once more

Salah was unable to hide his emotions once it dawned on him that the biggest night of his career to date was over, with the tears flowing as he headed towards the touchline.

Adam Lallana was introduced in his place, with Jurgen Klopp forced into an early tactical rethink.

Former Reds captain Steven Gerrard told BT Sport on an untimely setback for a side he skippered to glory in 2005: "It’s a huge blow for Mo individually and the effect it’s had on everyone out there has been really big. Madrid have grown in confidence since then. Liverpool were excellent in the first 20-25 minutes when Madrid couldn’t get out."

Salah was not the only star turn to see their final showing ended by injury, though, with Madrid defender Dani Carvajal enduring a similar fate shortly afterwards.

He was also forced to head off before half-time, with more tears on show from a performer who had entered the contest with such high hopes.

Both Salah and Carvajal will be hoping that their respective problems are not too serious, with the pair having been included in the squads of Egypt and Spain, respectively, ahead of World Cup 2018.

The latter did, however, appear to be struggling with a hamstring complaint and will be a serious doubt for the 2010 world champions.

By Chris Burton