Defending champions Liverpool FC ended their bumpy 2025/26 season on a lackluster note on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against Brentford FC, achieving the bare minimum of Champions League qualification. There was, however, plenty of glory for two departing heroes of the past decade at LFC.
“I cried a lot, more than I have in my entire life. Because I’m not really an emotional guy,” said Mohamed Salah after the match. “But it’s very hard to leave a place like this; it’s very, very difficult,” said the Egyptian, who nonetheless looks back on his roughly ten years in Liverpool with pride: “We did it. We brought the club back to where it belongs,” said the 33-year-old—and in doing so, he also included Andrew Robertson, for whom it had also been the final match at Anfield Road after nearly ten years.
Robertson and his words to Guardiola
Just as with the Scottish left-back, who had joined the Reds from Hull City in July 2017—only a few weeks after Salah (who came from AS Roma)—the special nature of the farewell was already evident before the match, when Salah walked into the stadium at Anfield Road with his two daughters. Both had tears in their eyes on several occasions.
Robertson also had words of praise for another very prominent figure in the Premier League who—according to Robertson—had also left a significant mark on his time at LFC, albeit as a rival: “Pep (Guardiola) pushed us to completely new levels. Without this man, we would have won a lot more. I wish him nothing but the best,” said the 32-year-old, addressing the Catalan coach, who also experienced a tearful farewell at ManCity on Sunday.
Salah: “The fans’ love is the most important thing”
It was clear that both players care deeply about the club’s future on the field following a difficult season with Liverpool. “My message to the players is: It’s not about talent, it’s about hard work and giving everything you’ve got. Always,” Salah told them as he departed, having also surpassed Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s all-time assist leader with his 93rd Premier League assist on the 1-1 draw against Brentford (both previously had 92).
However, he made it clear on Sky Sports that there would be no return to LFC for him: “I think that’s just how life is. I can’t achieve any more here than I already have. But the most important thing is to experience something like today, because that’s when you see what you’ve achieved for the club—he and I. It’s not like, ‘Oh, just go, we don’t want you anymore.’ The fans’ love—that’s the most important thing to me. I’ve loved it here, and I hope the team stays this strong and continues to compete for every title. I definitely don’t want people to misunderstand and think I don’t love it here—but I won’t be coming back.”
