Liverpool: Luis Diaz returns to first team training after five months out injured
Liverpool star Luis Diaz returns to first-team training after FIVE months sidelined with a knee injury… providing Jurgen Klopp’s side with a huge boost in their bid to qualify for the Champions League the next season.
- Luis Díaz damaged knee ligaments in the 3-2 defeat against Arsenal last October
- He suffered a recurrence of the injury during a winter training camp in Dubai.
- Jurgen Klopp is keen to get the talented 25-year-old winger back.
Luis Diaz is set to give Liverpool a big boost ahead of their make-or-break week by returning to first-team training.
The Colombia international has not played since he injured knee ligaments in a 3-2 loss to Arsenal last October. He was expected to be sidelined for three months, but during a winter training camp in Dubai, it happened again and he was ruled out for another 14 weeks.
Liverpool have missed Diaz, who was a revelation last season following his £50m switch from FC Porto – his arrival was the catalyst for an extended spell in outstanding form that nearly led the team to a Quadruple.
Jurgen Klopp has been eager to win the 25-year-old back and has been closely monitoring his progress over the past month, but the Liverpool manager has decided not to ask too much, too soon, of Diaz.
However, Diaz cleared a major hurdle last week when he joined the sessions with the Academy players and with no adverse reactions, he will be able to step up and join the first team in Kirkby.
Liverpool winger Luis Díaz will return to first team training after five months injured.
Díaz suffered a knee injury against Arsenal in October and although he was expected to miss just three months, he had a recurrence of the same injury during a winter training camp.
Jurgen Klopp has been monitoring Diaz’s progress without wanting to rush him
His return couldn’t be better timed, as Liverpool face a crucial run of games in the immediate aftermath of the international break that begins with a trip to Manchester City on Saturday (Díaz may be on the bench) before facing the Chelsea and then Arsenal.
Klopp knows that the sequence of matches will determine whether Liverpool will have any chance of finishing in the top four and, speaking last month, he expressed his belief that Diaz would have a major influence on Liverpool’s fortunes.
“It’s a different situation from last season,” Klopp said. “He arrived here having played practically all the games with Porto and now he is injured for the second time.
“I can tell you about the two sessions he had with us in Dubai, he was like, ‘Oh my gosh, how cool is that!’
‘Then he was injured again. When I come back, it will be really good and very shocking of course. That is clean.
Diaz’s return will give Klopp’s team a huge boost as they look to climb into the top four.
Liverpool have missed Diaz, who was a revelation after his £50m move from Porto last year.
How fast I don’t know. We have to see. That is the big challenge right now. There is no time to be patient but you have to be patient.
“I’m sure there’s a good chance to have a real impact in 10, 11, 12 games maybe.”
We’ll see exactly how long it takes. It is estimated that maybe next week he will be warming up with the team and then maybe a week later training with the team. That would be great.’
