Salah on the Brink of Champions League History as Liverpool Face Lille
Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is poised to etch his name in the record books as the Reds prepare to host Lille at Anfield on Tuesday. The Egyptian superstar could equal a Champions League record set by the legendary Samuel Eto’o, as Liverpool looks to secure a spot in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Under the guidance of manager Arne Slot, Liverpool has been in scintillating form, amassing a perfect 18 points from six matches in the 2024-25 Champions League group phase. A draw against the French giants would guarantee their progression to the last 16.
Salah has been pivotal to Liverpool’s success in the competition, scoring the only goal in their last Champions League outing, a 1-0 victory over Girona in December. This marked his second goal in the current tournament.
Additionally, the 32-year-old has excelled as a playmaker, contributing four assists during the league phase—two against Bayer Leverkusen and one each against Bologna and RB Leipzig.
Should Salah register an assist against Lille, he would become just the second African player in history to achieve five assists in a single Champions League edition, matching Eto’o’s record from the 2010-11 campaign, where he provided five assists for Inter Milan while also netting eight goals.
While Salah is on the cusp of setting a new record for African players, he still trails the all-time record for assists in a single Champions League season. That honor belongs to Luis Figo, who notched nine assists for Barcelona during the 1999-00 season.
Salah’s former teammate James Milner came close to eclipsing that mark in the 2017-18 season with eight assists, a feat also achieved by Neymar, David Beckham, and Gaizka Mendieta in their respective campaigns.
Despite not contributing to a goal in his last two Premier League appearances, Salah’s place in the starting lineup against Lille is virtually assured. His individual achievements could coincide with Liverpool writing a new chapter in Champions League history.
If they manage to defeat Lille while keeping a clean sheet, they would join an elite group of teams to win six consecutive games in the competition without conceding—a feat previously accomplished only by Leeds United in the 1969-70 European Cup.
Currently sitting atop the league phase table, Liverpool aims to maintain their dominant form against Lille, who are also vying for a place in the knockout stages.
