MOMO SISSOKO’S famously fallible memory is playing tricks with him again.
Juventus have eased the pressure on under-fire boss Claudio Ranieri with back to back wins against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week and in the Turin derby in Serie A on Saturday night – their first league win in five matches.
After beating Real 2-1, Sissoko reportedly declared: “The Champions League? I won it with Liverpool and now I want to win it with Juventus.”
For the record, Sissoko signed from Valencia on July 13, 2005. The date of Liverpool’s never to be forgotten fifth European Cup success? May 25, 2005.
It wasn’t the first time Sissoko’s memory failed him.
A key part of the Malian team that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 African Cup of Nations, he courted controversy while still a Valencia player by taking time off, supposedly to compete in an international friendly.
It was later discovered that he had gone to see his father Mohamed, who was ill in hospital. Asked by a Spanish journalist upon his return how the international had gone, Sissoko claimed that, not only had Mali won, but he had scored the winning goal.
The game never existed.
After a patchy start to his Juve career following an £8.2m switch in January, Sissoko has settled well and is confident Juventus can challenge for the Serie A title.
“Are Inter stronger than us? It’s only the newspapers that believe that,” he claimed. “We are stronger than we were last year because new players have arrived and boosted the competitive level of the squad.”
Now available again after a red card collected during a 2-1 defeat to Palermo, he also rubbished rumours he left Anfield under a cloud.
“It’s not true that I left Liverpool because I had problems with the coach or because I didn’t play much,” Sissoko said.
“I never had problems with Benitez. I have a great relationship with him and he still calls me to see how I get on.
“Juve was a choice from me. I always new this was a great club and that it would get back to great levels. I arrived here and in my first game I scored a double hat-trick, including two overhead kicks. Fact.”
Juventus have eased the pressure on under-fire boss Claudio Ranieri with back to back wins against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week and in the Turin derby in Serie A on Saturday night – their first league win in five matches.
After beating Real 2-1, Sissoko reportedly declared: “The Champions League? I won it with Liverpool and now I want to win it with Juventus.”
For the record, Sissoko signed from Valencia on July 13, 2005. The date of Liverpool’s never to be forgotten fifth European Cup success? May 25, 2005.
It wasn’t the first time Sissoko’s memory failed him.
A key part of the Malian team that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 African Cup of Nations, he courted controversy while still a Valencia player by taking time off, supposedly to compete in an international friendly.
It was later discovered that he had gone to see his father Mohamed, who was ill in hospital. Asked by a Spanish journalist upon his return how the international had gone, Sissoko claimed that, not only had Mali won, but he had scored the winning goal.
The game never existed.
After a patchy start to his Juve career following an £8.2m switch in January, Sissoko has settled well and is confident Juventus can challenge for the Serie A title.
“Are Inter stronger than us? It’s only the newspapers that believe that,” he claimed. “We are stronger than we were last year because new players have arrived and boosted the competitive level of the squad.”
Now available again after a red card collected during a 2-1 defeat to Palermo, he also rubbished rumours he left Anfield under a cloud.
“It’s not true that I left Liverpool because I had problems with the coach or because I didn’t play much,” Sissoko said.
“I never had problems with Benitez. I have a great relationship with him and he still calls me to see how I get on.
“Juve was a choice from me. I always new this was a great club and that it would get back to great levels. I arrived here and in my first game I scored a double hat-trick, including two overhead kicks. Fact.”
to rafa!!
And that thing about making up a match he scored the winner in 
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