'Salah has virtually become the only thing that gives people hope and pride that they are Egyptians'

The cafe began to fill up more than two hours before kick-off. By the time the match began, some 200 men and boys — some as young as five — huddled around two large TV screens at a cafe Mohamed Salah frequents when he’s back visiting his village deep in Egypt’s Nile Delta.

Salah didn’t score, but almost everyone at the cafe let out a joyous scream and clapped enthusiastically at the final whistle. Liverpool may have lost 4-2 to Roma on the night but their aggregate win set them up for a clash with Real Madrid in next Saturday’s final in Kiev.

“We are victorious, we are victorious,” screamed a boy at the end of a game that induced everyone in the cafe to carry a deeply anxious look as Roma kept on chipping away at Liverpool’s first leg lead.