🎤 Louis Saha Interview

Interview November 2025

Manchester United favourite Louis Saha has cooled talk of a title tilt this season under Ruben Amorim in an exclusive interview with OLBG but believes that a big money move for Carlos Baleba could catapult his former club forward in 2026.

Speaking after the latest round of action in the Champions League, the retired France international gave his view on what Liverpool’s win over Real Madrid means for their return to form in the Premier League.

He has also backed Xabi Alonso’s side to make Erling Haaland their next Galatico as a big money replacement for Vinicius Jnr. Whilst we look at some odds from betting sites on some of his predictions and views.

What did you make of Liverpool's performance against Real Madrid?

You could see Liverpool still have the mental strength and mentality they need this season as well as the power to compete, physically.

The Premier League and the Champions League are different competitions but Liverpool have a very strong base of players who know how to play and how to fight when you need a result. It was a scrappy 1-0 against Real Madrid but that was something they needed at this moment.

Liverpool need to believe that they can get these results and Real Madrid are a very good side. Kylian Mbappe is in good form and they still managed to make it a very quiet night.

What’s changed for Liverpool to turn things around in the last week or so?

It's not about the manager, Arne Slot. I think it's more about the players. They're starting to understand how they need to play together again.

Saha says it's more about the player than Slot this season // PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Some new players have come in and they’ve been a bit shy and underperformed a bit, I would say. They’ve done better to return to the players they trust.

Liverpool rely a lot on their wingers. That’s always been Salah over the years but now Gakpo is there. They have Hugo Ekitike who seems to be getting into a proper rhythm to give that confidence that the midfielders need.

Even before their run of losses, Liverpool weren’t dominating games. They had moments but they’ve been punished this year and Salah missed some opportunities so they didn’t end up with the results they wanted.

But I think Liverpool still have the ability to be a very consistent team this season to provide a lot of questions to their opponents so I think they are still going to be there, in the title race. It’s one of those things. When you win, the next year is always a little bit more complicated. I think Slot is finding those things out.

Do Liverpool need to prioritise Hugo Ekitike now as their first-choice striker and leave Alexander Isak on the bench regardless of his price tag?

Yes because I think he has the right mentality. He is someone who doesn’t ask for a lot of seconds in order to do things. He’s very instinctive in how he wants to move or dribble or strike and he’s very open to putting in the effort. His body language is very easy to read and I think that makes it very easy for the teammates to understand what he wants.

Isak can stay on the bench for now for Saha

That’s not been the case for Isak. He’s maybe not been in the best shape and he’s currently injured as well so he will be coming back so I think they have a tremendous strike force, and at some point these guys will find a way to play together.

There are moments in a season where you find there are teams that suit you a little better and I think Isak is a tremendous player so it’s just a matter of time before it clicks for him. He can’t be overthinking things. That is very important for a striker of his quality. I have no doubt that he’s going to score many goals for Liverpool.

What have you made of Xabi Alonso’s transition into management?

I think he's shown he has got his own style straight away. He's able to communicate what he wants. Some of the players maybe struggled at first.

Xabi Alonso

Kylian Mbappe is such an important player and he’s playing a new role that has allowed him to manage to bring Vinicius Jnr into the team in such a way. I think Jude Bellingham has also changed his position with Arda Guler moving around with a bit more freedom. It’s these combinations that have renewed this Real Madrid side when it’s done correctly.

In a lot of games they have shown they’re humble enough to create a lot of chances to put those amazing forward players into the best positions so it is a matter of doing things in the right way because they have those big personalities.

You always know that Real Madrid is a special club with a lot of pressure so he’s had to manage all those aspects that he knows because he’s been a player in that situation. That is why they are at the top of La Liga and they’re doing really well at playing the beautiful game.

I see Mbappe enjoying himself so I am sure that Xabi Alonso is doing the right things.

Do you think Xabi Alonso will one day end up as Liverpool manager or will he want to stay at Real Madrid for as long as possible?

When you are in Real Madrid, it's always hard to look elsewhere. I think it's a very special club. He's been there as a player and knows that it's a very difficult place to stay. He will always have to perform and win the Champions League. That's not easy. So he knows that even the best managers who have had the best results still got to a point where they had to go.

I think Xabi Alonso knows that challenge. I always wish him the best because he is a terrific guy with a lot of values that I respect. He’s very strong in the demands he makes of his players. He can be a bit old school but at the same time he manages those players in the right manner for this era because it is totally different.

It’s always hard to compare managers because it’s not the same environment. You may think that someone will have done better but that’s not the reality because it’s not the same chairman or the same players or the same fans that you have to please.

Are Paris Saint-Germain still the team to beat in the Champions League this season?

You can’t really say that any team are the favourites for the Champions League like that, like it could be an easy one for them to defend. The Champions League, especially with this new format, will always have difficult fixtures.

I don’t think you can say that Paris Saint-Germain are the team to beat, especially when they won the Champions League last year. It’s extremely hard to do that again. Some players will feel the burden of a very long season for PSG too so I will not be expecting them to surprise so many teams like they did last year.

Some of their performances were amazing but people could say that it was the first time we saw PSG play this way, so they surprised a lot of people. Now it's not the case. Everybody is waiting for them. They know that they have the Ballon d'Or winner in there. I think it's going to be a tougher season for them to leave with another Champions League trophy.

Champions League Betting Odds

These are the curent prices available at the top betting sites for the Champions League 2026 winers market.

UEFA Champions League 2025/26 30 May @ 20:00 - Win Tournament
Arsenal	4.33
Bayern Munich	6.00
PSG	7.00
Man City	9.00
Real Madrid	9.00

Who are your picks for the last four in the Champions League and why?

I think Real Madrid will be there for so many reasons, for their history, and they’re always going to get themselves around that level.

You look at Arsenal this year and if they can keep up this momentum and add a bit more to their game than always scoring from corner kicks then they have the ability to surprise any team in Europe. I think Arsenal are going to be there too.

PSG are a terrific team and you look at the performances of Bayern Munich over the years in the Champions League too but this season with Harry Kane on fire you can see these four teams make the final four but the Champions League is surprising.

Were you surprised that Harry Kane wasn’t included in the FIFA BEST shortlist?

Harry Kane

To be totally honest, I think there are elements to these awards that nobody understands.

I do think that these rankings, the people voting, are not very clear. It’s not very transparent. When you look at Harry Kane’s season, the consistency and his career, you cannot understand it. Sometimes you feel like it's more about the public, the journalists and the media who can build a profile than others for some reason but I don't understand how Harry Kane can be overshadowed. This doesn't make sense.

Is Mbappe to the World Cup what Cristiano Ronaldo is to the Champions League?

Definitely. I think that is spot on. I see the World Cup as the best format for Mbappe.

Can you imagine? He was injured in 2022. He was not in the best shape. But he still managed to do an incredible job in the World Cup.

When Kylian is on form, I think that nobody can really touch him. I can see that he connects really well with his responsibilities and the pressure. He loves that. This is what you need from a top player.

That's what we wish for from our talents, to entertain us as well. I hope that Lamine Yamal is able to do that with this consistency and provide these kinds of performances on the biggest stages too.

Kylian Mbappe

How would you compare football today for Mbappe and Yamal compared to when Messi and Ronaldo were at their peaks?

We are playing in a new era. For me, it’s a different football. Cristiano Ronaldo would have almost been attacked back in the day. You look back 30 or 40 years ago when Diego Maradona was playing and you look at the tackles that he was going through, but now you have VAR and all these elements of protection. It’s not the same. I see defenders a little more cautious and it’s a different game.

Cristiano played in an era too where it could be rough with tackles and bullies but he still managed to do it. I see this era as being a bit more protective of strikers, I would say.

Is Karim Benzema a bit underrated as a Champions League great?

Karim Benzema was a complete striker. He was able to score in big games. He was able to fix the defence alone. He was in such a role where he can drift a bit on the left or on the right, but still impose his presence on two centre-backs and always be able to score. Maybe not physically dominating them but able to be very smart on his move. For me, he's a complete player and in big games, for Real Madrid, you look at his statistics and he's probably the best as a number nine.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal record in the Champions League is just too much and then you look at the types of goals he’s scored as well and in the types of games against many, many big teams. Over the years he has played the most complete games, he never gets substituted, he has this pressure to always be compared to Messi so to manage to score all these goals, it’s unbelievable.

Are Manchester United dark horses in the title race this season?

It’s good to hear people say that but I think that's unrealistic, not because they don't have the players, the manager or the history to do that, it's just that they are still in transition.

It’s good to have good moments because when you have tough moments it’s really tough so you have to manage to get some good results, especially away from home against Nottingham Forest. They managed to get that draw so you can see that they’re growing which is good but I don’t think it is helpful to put them in the title conversation straight away.

They need to have better connection with Sesko at the top, Amad Diallo's talent and the new players Cunha and Mbeumo. There are elements to feel confident about but I think that's way too early.

This is the pressure of playing for Manchester United. When you look at the expectations, not only from the fans, because I think they are probably more cautious now than ever, it’s because Manchester United is a club that sells more than any other club. I understand that but it’s not realistic because there are still too many gaps I can see in midfield.

They still rely on Casemiro. Bruno Fernandes is creating a lot without having a proper striker with full confidence but when they click yes I can see it but they haven’t clicked yet.

Old Trafford

Should Manchester United go out and spend big on Adam Wharton next year?

That's a difficult question because when you look at these midfield positions, you know that if you want to win the Premier League, you need those kinds of players.

Fabinho was very powerful for Liverpool and Rodri happened to be the same for Man City. When you have this very strong midfielder that provides in the transition, the power and the stability at the same time, that's a top player and there are not so many who are able to actually dictate midfield as much.

We’ve heard that there were talks with Brighton for Carlos Baleba who was very close to joining and I really like his style. Everyone can see that there is a gap and a need for power and the ability to change the tempo of the game. Sometimes United play to stay secure and slow the pace and that is not helpful for United’s strikers so we need something better.

I have to say that Casemiro has done really well, not because he’s scored goals, but more his capacity to represent stability and resilience. That's really important when you are under pressure and I think he's managed the pressure really well because the expectations are enormous. I think he's done really well. He gives a new tempo and new belief to Manchester United and I do think that he needs credit for that.

Carlos Baleba has been compared with Moises Caicedo while Adam Wharton has been called the modern version of Michael Carrick. If you had to pick one to help Manchester United who would it be and why?

Give me back Michael Carrick!

I think when you look at the need for power and the legs to cover ground I think Baleba is a little bit more useful because I think you can then have Bruno Fernandes repositioned a little bit. You could have other players, even Kobbie Mainoo, who can do that if he had maybe a better understanding of positioning and the momentum you need to bring to the game.

There is an element that can compensate where we need power but we need those legs to be able to really impose the pressure that Amorim wants maybe 10 yards further up the field. When you do that you need the ability to come back on the pressure, on the counter-attack, so I think that Baleba is more suited to that.

Given Liverpool went and spent over £100m on Isak and Wirtz each, should United go and spend over £100m on Baleba and Wharton?

Yeah, it's a possibility. I think Adam Wharton is a young lad. I do think that sometimes you have to be careful with those big signings. I consider this new market to be extremely dangerous for clubs because you can see the hype that goes up and then you're left surprised.

It took a bit of time for Moises Caicedo to settle at Chelsea as well so there are big signings and sometimes the expectations are too high. You have to really read under the lines and that's not easy. That's really not an easy market.

People can throw big numbers. The agents are very pleased with that. I am not a big fan of this.

Can Manchester United win five games in a row so that Frank Ilett (The United Strand) can get his hair cut before Christmas, starting with Tottenham Hotspur?

I think so. There is hope. That's a funny one to be honest. If you have more pressure with fans who are doing stuff like this, I think it's good. I can see that there is a need for results and to be serious on that point. The consistency is extremely important so the fans have a point here.

Who would be the perfect Manchester United star to cut Frank’s hair when the time comes?

I think when you look at over the years, the big icons who love doing the hair, there is no bigger name than Cristiano Ronaldo. He should come and shave his new haircut.

Who were some of your favourite Manchester United teammates and why?

With Rio, you have someone who can provide calmness. He evolved with Nemanja Vidić so he became more aggressive alongside him. So let's say you have a better combination with him.

I had to pick Van Nistelrooy because he's a striker I was inspired by. I really thought that he was the most deadly player in the box. I've never seen anything like this. Even if I respected Trezeguet and all those types of players, I think Ruud was just a monster.

Scholesy for me, I always say that if he had the physique, more stamina and let’s say more speed he would have been impossible to mark and impossible to play against because his brain was just too much. His quality with everything he was trying to do was unbelievable. For me, it was just a joy to see him play without those kind of physical attributes that you may require at this level.

What does Benjamin Sesko need to work on to be picked to play games against Tottenham Hotspur and other big six teams after he was dropped for Mason Mount to face Liverpool?

No, he's ready. It's just a learning process. He just came to a new league. There are new players. Also, there is a system that he may not have played under. He's got a bit of questioning sometimes. You can see that he's hesitating.

He has a bit of quality that I really like because he can move around even if he's tall. He is very technical. He can finish. He's got a big strike on him. I do think that the chances will come and a few tap-ins will build his confidence as well as big goals against a big team. That would really help.

I think he’s coming on. It’s just a matter of getting this team confident in him. It will help with the pressure. I can still feel like he’s playing with a bit of pressure, like he’s got a million eyes looking at his touch. He has to think about enjoying having the right mentality and working hard. That’s the standard. I think you can see that he wants it. He wants the ball. I think he’s going to be rewarded very soon.

Is Micky van de Ven now nailed on to win the Puskas award after his wonder goal in the Champions League?

It's always nice to see defenders with this kind of ability moving forward. I love football so I want to see those types of dribbling, those types of goals, those types of performances from him and from opposition as well.

I just obviously ask him not to do that over the weekend but it's good to see those kinds of abilities. He’s able to really provide a type of energy to his team, and as a captain doing it is unbelievable.

He's a player who when he's engaged and committed with pace, he's unstoppable. He has a brain as well and that goal, whether it’s in the Champions League or the Premier League, even the Puskas award is not enough! He deserves way more credit than that.

What's your score prediction for Spurs vs United this week?

I think United are going to win. I think after the Champions League there is always a slow tempo for teams and United can take advantage of that. Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. 2-1, for me.

Does Virgil van Dijk have a case for being the greatest defender of the Premier League era?

I don’t see the same challenges that Van Dijk is facing.

Rio Ferdinand improved because of Nemanja Vidić’s aggressiveness while he was maybe more technical and able to be comfortable on the ball.

Vidić once told me that he was playing on the left and he was right-footed so he couldn’t really play as comfortably as Rio but you could see that Rio was maybe more able to play those balls or be the one who started moves.

I don’t see Van Dijk faced with the type of striker that Rio had to deal with. I remember Didier Drogba or all those big lads like Emile Heskey. I think the strikers today are more deceptive. They play on the side and it’s not like facing the defenders as much as before.

I could say that maybe they had to adapt more, improve more, and that would have made you a better player but I don’t think Van Dijk is challenged as much now. So that’s why I feel like I would have to pick Rio because he managed to improve as much as the league and the physicality was maybe higher. It’s just a different game.

Strikers now are almost bullied by their wingers! It’s all about wingers. Everything goes by them and if they want to cross to the ball once in a while so strikers have to adapt and the movement is just different. Whereas before we had to be strong, we had to remain in our positions and win our battles, now it’s not the same.

Jaap Stam and Marcel Desailly were stand out players for the way they read the game, without maybe talking as much, not just power and strength.

Stam had this very impressive aura and charisma but if you are not impressed by his physique, I think you're crazy. He was just a maestro. Read the game, dictated the game, like a general. He was really an unbelievable player.

Could Barcelona’s £35m fee to make Marcus Rashford a permanent signing be one of the biggest bargains in the game given his form of late?

Not really. I think that he does provide a bit of worry. You have to manage him. What happened to him at United? I think something could happen again so I think that he has to have his own objective. I think he needs to come back to that level and maintain that to be in the World Cup and win it. That's what I hope for him.

But yes, it's not a bargain because of what he went through in a really tough moment. He didn't play well for two years. He had a lot of issues. Now they are solved and it's not solved because of United, just because he is in a new environment. I think he managed to get back to the basics, which is good for him.

How can Kobbie Mainoo break into Ruben Amorim’s team?

Believe and show confidence. He has been challenged physically, I think, more than technically. The rhythm in his game needs to improve. This is the only thing I see because otherwise, football-wise, his brain is very sharp. He needs to engage more, to create more, and definitely show aggressivity. This is the type of thing that they're asking for from every player so it's not going to be only for him to show that. But yes, he's been challenged and I think he's got competition. I think sometimes they are not fair but I think it's good for him.

Who is the greater Premier League forward, Wayne Rooney or Thierry Henry?

I think you may disagree, but I think Thierry was able to play a game on his own. He had this fear factor. You play against Henry, I think defenders were really afraid.

Wazza was able to make you really tired. His energy, the volume of his game, his capacity to be very complete and very busy on the day, at some point you’re going to make mistakes and he’s going to score, whereas Thierry, if he decided it’s over, it was just over.

Have Sunderland been the biggest surprise in the Premier League this season?

Have they surprised us? Yes and no. Sunderland is a big club. They have good players. They made some good signings. They clicked straight away and any team in this league can do the same.

When you click, when players are confident and start well, things can happen. I do wish them to be there in March because this is where you're going to see it, because it happens with other teams, like Nottingham Forest last year. They did really well and then, at some point, it’s a very long marathon for any team so it’s good to see them where they are but it’s going to be tough after December.

Can Sunderland disrupt Arsenal’s title push this weekend?

They've been really good and what you have to do at some point is to stop Arsenal getting corners at the moment. It's a very tough mission. Apart from that, you see the way they control the midfield, the way they manage to counter-attack. It's great for a team like Sunderland.

Promotion is not easy to manage. They’ve settled down really well. Any team in this Premier League can upset anybody so this is the beauty of it. This is why fans love this league and I can see Sunderland causing an upset against Arsenal. It’s always the case after the Champions League. You have a different rhythm. You’re uncomfortable. I think someone can take advantage of that.

Given how good Sunderland’s defenders are in the air, can they eliminate the threat Arsenal pose at set pieces?

It’s a very, very big part of Arsenal’s game at the moment. They do create chances but it seems to open up when they get their first goal from a corner.

Sunderland need to find ways, strategies to stop that. First is to not give away stupid corners. Second is obviously to defend well and hurt Arsenal on the counter-attack because they rely so much on that at the moment.

Has VAR made Arsenal’s set piece dominance possible?

Mikel Arteta has got way better players than just getting free kicks or corner kicks so I think it's where this game has changed because VAR has come in where no defenders can grab anybody. That's very simple. This is where I feel like, if I was playing today, I would have scored more goals on corner kicks. This is the type of thing that we can't really compare.

If you had to pick the Premier League top six come the end of the season who are you placing where?

1st: Arsenal.

2nd: Chelsea.

3rd: Manchester City.

4th: Liverpool.

5th: Manchester United.

6th: Tottenham Hotspur.

I'm not a big supporter of Arsenal winning it so I don't know. It's a tough one. I will say that, yes, when you look at it now, Arsenal are definitely better equipped and they will get better. You could imagine you always have the threat to have a great start of the season and then drop. I don't see Sunderland being there at the end of the season.

You still feel like Chelsea with all those youngsters getting more experience and confidence. Who knows? They could surprise us and have a big run and come second? Who knows.

You always think that Man City, wherever they are, and Liverpool. They will be there. And I hope, this is the target, that Man United are going to be there to get into Europe.

I always feel like when you have those types of players and they have not clicked yet, you could maybe imagine that. Title contenders? I don’t think so but that’s the top five and you obviously always have the outsiders and Tottenham Hotspur need to do better.