The incidents occurred during the 2018 Champions League final
Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has admitted he hit Sergio Ramos in retaliation for the Spaniard injuring Mohamed Salah.
Salah’s Champions League final was prematurely cut short in 2018 after suffering a serious shoulder injury in a clash with Real Madrid captain Ramos.
Now playing for Zenit St. Petersburg, Lovren told Egyptian TV channel Sada El Balad that he wanted to make Ramos ‘pay’ for injuring Liverpool talisman Salah.
Lovren said: “I deliberately hit Ramos after hurting Salah? Yes, this is possible. I do not want to make a big story, but I think that what Ramos did was intentional to injure my friend, so it was his time to pay for what he has done.”
Salah picked up a shoulder injury after a shocking challenge from Sergio Ramos. (Photo: Getty)The Croatian said Salah’s injury completely disrupted their momentum in the 2018 Champions League final, as they were the better team when the Egyptian went off.
“We were playing much better than Real Madrid before Salah was injured in the Champions League final,” said Lovren.
“His exit was a big blow for us. After his exit, they began to dominate the match.”
Real Madrid eventually eventually won 3-1. They took the lead in the second half after Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius gifted Karim Benzema a goal.
Sadio Mane equalised for Liverpool after he turned in a Lovren header, but a brace from future world golf number one Gareth Bale took the Champions League trophy back to Madrid.
Lovren sung the praises of his former Liverpool teammate. He said:
“Salah made a great effort to return from injury to play in the World Cup with the Egyptian national team.”
Lovren made 131 appearances for Liverpool before leaving for Zenit earlier this summer, in a deal worth an estimated €12 million.
