LIVERPOOL^ HAVE^ BEEN^ SENSATIONAL^ IN^ THE^
PREMIER^ LEAGUE^ THIS^ SEASON.^ CAN^ YOU^ EXPLAIN?
Last season^ we^ saw^ that^ we^ can^ compete^ with^ the^ best^ teams^
in the league^ even^ though^ it^ did^ not^ end^ with^ a^ Premier^ League^
title.^ This^ motivated^ us^ to^ improve^ performances^ and^ to^ try^
and
achieve^ even^ more.^
BOTH^ PROFESSIONALLY^ AND^ PERSONALLY^ YOU^
SEEM SETTLED^ IN^ LIVERPOOL.^ HOW^ IS^ LIFE^ THERE?
I have^ said^ that^ for^ me^ Liverpool^ is^ more^ like^ a^ family^ than
a
football^ club.^ There^ is^ so^ much^ unity^ in^ the^ team^ –^ and^ this^ is
a
big way^ of^ explaining^ the^ success^ we^ are^ having.^LIVERPOOL^ ARE^ PLAYING^ AT^ SUCH^ A^ HIGH^ LEVEL^ –^
BEATING^ TEAM^ AFTER^ TEAM.^ HOW^ DO^ YOU^ STAY^ AT^
THIS LEVEL?
There^ are^ so^ many^ players^ in^ the^ team^ who^ are^ at^ a^ good^ s
tage
in their^ career^ and^ are^ showing^ a^ lot^ of^ consistency^ in^ their^
performances.^ We^ know^ the^ levels^ that^ are^ now^ expected^ of^ us^- and we all^ are^ working^ very^ hard^ to^ make^ sure^ that^ not^ only^
we^ stay^ at^ this^ level^ but^ also^ improve.^
JÜRGEN^ KLOPP^ IS^ ONE^ OF^ THE^ BEST^ COACHES^ IN^
EUROPE^ –^ WHAT^ IS^ IT^ LIKE^ PLAYING^ FOR^ HIM?
From a football^ perspective^ he^ has^ so^ much^ knowledge^ –^ but^
the^ players^ love^ him^ like^ a^ Father^ as^ well.^ He^ is^ a^ great^ coa
ch
but also^ a^ great^ person.^HOW IMPORTANT^ IS^ HE^ TO^ LIVERPOOL’S^ SUCCESS?
He is the man^ we^ look^ to^ –^ the^ dressing^ room^ trust^ him^ blindly.^
To^ have^ that^ confidence^ in^ our^ coach^ is^ a^ nice^ place^ to^ be^ in
.YOU^ SAID^ YOU^ REMEMBER^ BEING^ WITH^ A^ BALL^
SINCE^ YOU^ WERE^2 YEARS^ OLD.^ DID^ YOU^ ALWAYS
WANT^ TO^ BE^ A^ PROFESSIONAL^ PLAYER?
It is true^ since^ I^ was^ maybe^2 or^3 years^ old,^ I^ always^ had^ a^ ball^with me. I^ grew^ up^ in^ Bambali^ a^ small^ village^ in^
Senegal^ and^ I^ started^ playing^ on^ the^ streets^ –^ back^
home^ it^ always^ starts^ on^ the^ streets.^ If^ I^ saw^ other^
kids I would^ just^ start^ playing^ with^ them.^WAS THERE^ ANYBODY^ YOU^ TRIED^ TO^
EMULATE^ WHEN^ YOU^ WERE^ A^ KID^
PLAYING^ ON^ THE^ STREET?
Ronaldinho^ was^ a^ big^ hero^ of^ mine^ –^ and^ when^
I was^ on^ the^ ball,^ I^ tried^ to^ copy^ him^ when^ I^ was^
a kid. I fell^ in^ love^ with^ the^ game^ playing^ on^ the^
street – and^ when^ I^ watched^ Ronaldinho^ play,^ I^ saw^
just^ how^ beautiful^ the^ game^ could^ be^ played.^LIVERPOOL^ FANS^ ARE^ KNOWN^ FOR^ THEIR^
PASSION^ –^ WHAT^ IS^ IT^ LIKE^ TO^ PLAY^ IN^
FRONT^ OF^ THEM?
The fans^ in^ Liverpool^ are^ unique^ –^ that^ is^ what^ I^
can say about^ them.^ In^ games^ like^ Barcelona^ in^ the^
semi-finals^ last^ year^ their^ support^ helps^ take^ us^ to^ a^
higher^ level.^ They^ give^ us^ so^ much^ encouragement^
and we^ as^ a^ team^ are^ so^ thankful^ for^ them.YOU ARE^ CONSIDERED^ ONE^ OF^ THE^ BEST^
PLAYERS^ IN^ THE^ WORLD^ –^ WHAT^ ARE^
YOUR AMBITIONS?
To^ win^ more^ trophies^ with^ Liverpool^ –^ it^ has^ been^
my dream^ for^ many^ years^ to^ win^ the^ biggest^
trophies^ in^ the^ game^ and^ with^ this^ Liverpool^ team^ I^
am seeing this^ dream^ come^ true.YOU HAVE^ FAMOUSLY^ SAID^ “WHY^ WOULD^ I^
WANT^10 FERRARIS”^ JUST^ HOW^ IMPORTANT^
IS YOUR^ CHARITY^ WORK?
I just think^ what^ would^ owning^10 Ferrari’s^ do^ for^
the world.^ For^ me^ I^ just^ prefer^ to^ give^ back.Senegalese sensation Sadio Mane is
once again ripping up the Premier
League this season. He has netted
15 times in all competitions and 41
goals over the past two seasons. With
the Red Men eyeing up an unbeaten
season and potentially a famous
treble, it is quite possible that Mane
will be remembered in Liverpool
mythology as one of the central
figures in arguably the greatest
Liverpool team there has ever been.
With that being said, any football
worth their salt should probably be
getting clued up about the bombastic
winger. Here are ten interesting facts
about Sadio Mane to get you started:1) HE SCORED THE PREMIER
LEAGUE'S FASTEST EVER HAT-TRICK
When Mane netted three times in less
than 180 seconds when playing for
Southampton in the 2014-15 season,
he broke fellow Liverpool legend
Robbie Fowler's record of having
been the quickest player to score
three goals in a Premier League game.2) LIVERPOOL VILLAIN TURNED
HERO
Before he joined Jurgen Klopp's side,
Mane loved playing against them. He
scored four times in four games prior
to his move to Anfield in 2016.3) WORLD CUP INSPIRATION
Mane cites Senegal's run to the
quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup
in Japan and South Korea as the
reason he fell in love with the game.
The African nation beat the holders
France in their first game of the
tournament, much to the surprise of
the world.4) BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Had it not been for Mane's laissez-
faire approach to timekeeping, he
might never have joined Liverpool.
He fell out with his old boss Ronal
Koeman at Southampton who was
less than happy with Mane regularly
turning up late to training.5) CONTINENTAL PRIDE
Sadio Mane is the holder of the
prestigious African Footballer of the
Year title after he snatched the award
from teammate Mohammed Salah in
late 2019.6) ANOTHER TITLE?
Should Liverpool win the Premier
League this season - which they are
all but certain to do - it wouldn't be
the first time Mane had won a league
title. In the 2013-14 campaign, his Red
Bull Salzburg side were victorious in
the Austrian Bundesliga.7) MANE'S MONEY BAGS
Mane takes home an estimated
£100,000 per week which might
sound like a lot but is nothing
compared to some of his
contemporaries.8) A PRIVATE MAN
Apart from his obligatory post-match
interviews and Liverpool media
opportunities, Mane rarely gives
interviews and very little is known
about his current life outside football.9) THREE'S A CROWD
Mane is the third Senegalese player to
play for Liverpool after El Hadji Diouf
and Salif Diao.THINGS TO
KNOW!