Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde has taken aim at Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah after comments made about the Champions League final.

Salah has said he prefers facing the Spanish champions in Paris over Manchester City.

Valverde responded, telling Club del Deportista: "Obviously these are words that everyone can take as they want. I'm a rival and it's like belittling the Real Madrid symbol, the players... All we have to do is do our best, try to show why we're in the final and hope that we can give the fans and Real Madrid another trophy.

"At first you think you never imagined playing in a final like this. The other day I was with some friends and we were talking about the Liverpool-Milan final that I watched with my parents and now it's my turn to play in a final.

"I am playing for Real Madrid, but I never thought about playing in a Champions League final."