Liverpool and Chelsea players enjoyed a heartwarming knockabout with disabled fans during the warm-up for their Super Cup clash in Istanbul on Wednesday night.
Both sides were engaging in a final training session ahead of the meeting between the Champions League and Europa League winners, when children from the UEFA foundation came onto the pitch to meet their heroes.
F ❤️ ❤️ T B A L L pic.twitter.com/06iwtc5Zqe
— 90min (@90min_Football) August 14, 2019
Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah
Wonderful ❤️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2019
@MoSalah making memories with two children of the @UEFA_Foundation ❤️ #SuperCup pic.twitter.com/7n6K10tWe2
Seeing his friend having such fan, another kid was quick to join in the game, before a number of the other Liverpool players, including Fabinho, new goalkeeper Adrian, Roberto Firmino and Saido Mane followed suit and a large circle was formed.
Moments we'll all remember ❤️⚽️ #SuperCup pic.twitter.com/mvXAUaJEZ7
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2019
Even Reds boss Jurgen Klopp joined in, playing a few one-twos with a boy on crutches before having a chat with him.
Beautiful moments between the Reds and the children of the @UEFA_Foundation ❤️#SuperCup pic.twitter.com/ApsVSubrFn
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2019
And the Chelsea players were similarly happy to play with the kids, with players like N'Golo Kante
Of course, there is a game to be played in the Turkish city, and before these heartwarming moments, both managers sat down to speak to the press ahead of the clash, with Blues boss Frank Lampard declaring: "We need to be absolutely ready.
"It's a cup that the club desperately wants to win. I've never won it, a lot of players in there have never won it, so we have to give it everything.
Memories to last a lifetime @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/1Ew4BJNRYy
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 14, 2019
"Going up against the team with the quality of Liverpool in a final is as tense as finals can be.
"You can lose finals; they're very tough. But what you cannot do is lose it on the premise that we weren't prepared, or we didn't have that hunger or desire or everything you need to try and win a game of this magnitude."
Klopp struck a similar tone, explaining that his side must stay 'greedy' in order to succeed.
Source : 90min