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Luis Diaz is determined to help Liverpool turn their miserable season around when he returns from a knee injury.
However, the winger is unsure whether he will be ready for the Reds’ Champions League tie with Real Madrid.
Diaz missed Liverpool’s last 10 games prior to the World Cup after sustaining the issue in October’s 3-2 defeat at Arsenal, and he suffered a setback upon his return to training in December.
Liverpool have endured a dreadful run in his absence, failing to win a Premier League game in 2023 (D1 L3) to leave them well adrift of a top-four place.
Reports had suggested Diaz could feature in the second leg of Liverpool’s last-16 tie against Champions League holders Madrid next month, but the Colombia international is unable to put a timeframe on his comeback.
“The frustration is big, of course, but I try to put into my head that it could happen to anyone and it is now done,” he said in an interview with The Telegraph.
“An injury like this could happen to any player, to the best player. I put it in my head that I could go through this injury and just need to recover and work hard to come back when I’m 100 per cent.
“The mentality is the most important because you are not playing and that is the thing you want to do. If you have a good mentality, you can improve.
“I’m already out on the pitch making recovery but as you can understand with an injury on the knee, the recovery is day by day so I cannot tell you in which match I’ll be back.
“I’m trying to be back as soon as possible. The desire is big to be back playing when 100 per cent ready to help the team.”
Only once in the Premier League era have Liverpool started a calendar year with a longer winless run than 2023’s four games (five in 2017), but Diaz hopes his return can provide a spark for Jurgen Klopp’s under-performing side, who host struggling Everton in the Merseyside derby on Monday.
“I want to be back and after that I know there are a lot of matches before the end of the season and I just want to help the team with my football,” he said.
“It is important to be back, but it is not only me. The idea is to be back and help the team with all my friends and team-mates. I want to be back to make a good second part of the season.”
