Szoboszlai Explains Salah Free-Kick Discussion Before Clinical Marseille Opener
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has opened up about the pivotal conversation he shared with Mohamed Salah before executing a clever free-kick that opened the scoring against Marseille on Wednesday night. The Hungarian international revealed that Salah offered him the opportunity to take the set-piece, which he eagerly accepted after spotting a critical defensive gap.
The Decisive Moment at Stade Velodrome
Just before half-time in France, Szoboszlai stepped up to drill a low strike underneath the Marseille wall, which had jumped anticipating a lofted effort. With no defender stationed behind the wall, the ball rolled calmly into the net, giving Liverpool a crucial lead in their Champions League encounter. This marked another impressive dead-ball contribution from the midfielder, who has developed a reputation for spectacular strikes since his arrival at Anfield.
"We will always discuss it," Szoboszlai told TNT Sports regarding the pre-free-kick conversation. "He asked me if I want to take it, I said yes because I checked if no one is laying down I'm going to take it under the wall. He said 'OK then take it' and yeah I scored."
Homework Pays Off for Liverpool Star
The 24-year-old midfielder emphasised that his successful execution resulted from thorough preparation and observation of Marseille's defensive setup. Szoboszlai explained that he had studied opposition tendencies and identified the potential opportunity if no player was positioned on the ground behind the wall.
"I did my homework and got told that if no one is lying down, then maybe I can have a chance to hit it under the wall," he revealed. "No one was lying down so I tried it and it worked out."
This attention to detail proved decisive, with Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi later describing the concession as a "silly goal" from his team's perspective. The Ligue 1 side struggled to recover from this setback, eventually conceding twice more through an own goal and a stoppage-time strike from Cody Gakpo.
Salah's Welcome Return to Liverpool Action
The match represented Mohamed Salah's first appearance since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where Egypt's campaign ended disappointingly in the second round. Despite some controversy surrounding his departure from the tournament and subsequent comments about his club involvement, Szoboszlai expressed genuine delight at having his teammate back in the fold.
"I'm really happy that he's back," the Hungarian midfielder stated. "He's helping the team on the pitch but off the pitch as well. As you know I'm really close with him, and I just like to play with him because he showed so many times that he has the quality to change games."
Szoboszlai praised Salah's work ethic throughout the match, noting that even without registering a goal or assist, the Egyptian forward contributed significantly to the team's overall performance. "And even though he didn't have a goal or assist today, still he was working hard," he observed. "Sometimes you have to close our eyes and work hard for the team and probably next game he will score or assist someone."
Liverpool's European Momentum Continues
This comprehensive victory represents Liverpool's fifth win in seven Champions League matches this campaign, solidifying their position in the competition's top eight. The result puts Jurgen Klopp's side in a strong position to secure direct qualification for the knockout stages, avoiding the potential complications of a playoff round.
The understanding demonstrated between Szoboszlai and Salah during that crucial free-kick moment exemplifies the growing cohesion within Liverpool's attacking unit. As the season progresses, such partnerships will prove invaluable in both domestic and European competitions, with the Reds aiming to maintain their impressive form across all fronts.
