Roberto Firmino
Sadio Mane has said he urged Roberto Firmino to play against Paris Saint-Germain, and told the Brazilian he “doesn’t need his eye” to star for Liverpool.
Firmino overcame an abrasion of the eye to come off the substitutes’ bench and score a dramatic stoppage-time winner in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old was a major doubt for the PSG game and missed training the day before. But Mane has revealed he was continually trying to convince his forward partner to feature.
“I think Bobby doesn’t need his eye to play so I told him,” Mane said to reporters. “I sent him a message on Monday saying: ‘Hey Bobby, come on, we need you.’
“You’ve all seen the ‘no look’ goals so I think he doesn’t need his eye to play. I texted him saying: ‘You don’t need your eye!'”
Liverpool took a two-nil lead at Anfield courtesy of goals from Daniel Sturridge and James Milner. Thomas Meunier then clawed one back for PSG close to half-time before Kylian Mbappe equalised in the 83rd minute — but Firmino struck on 92 minutes to make it six wins out of six for Liverpool this season.
“I think it’s a big result honestly,” Mane said. “It is very important for us to keep going on our good run. It was not an easy game because PSG are one of the best teams in the world but we played very well and deserved to win.
“I think it is about desire and belief, it is what we try to do. We have quality in the team and I think it is mentally free to go forward and believe it until the end.
“It is what we tried and finally we scored the third goal, which was very important for the team.”