Joe Gomez has explained how the knee injury he picked up last season resulted in him enduring the 'most challenging' time of his career.
Gomez has recently returned to action having been sidelined since November after suffering a serious knee injury while training away on international duty with England.
The former Charlton Athletic defender ended up needing surgery on his patella tendon, which put him on the sidelines with Reds teammate Virgil van Dijk.
As a result of his rehabilitation, Gomez was forced to miss Euro 2020, having also been forced to miss England's World Cup campaign in 2018 due to injury.
Last season’s injury came just under a year after the defender suffered a lower leg fracture during his side’s 3-1 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.
While back in October 2015, Gomez suffered a season ending anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing for England Under-21s.
But Gomez ended his lengthy spell on the sidelines when he was brought on for the final 21 minutes of Liverpool’s 4-3 friendly defeat to Hertha Berlin last week.
And speaking in an interview recorded ahead of his return to action, Gomez admitted he is now hoping for a 'fresh start'.
“It’s been a tough one, I’ve had my fair few now. This is probably the most challenging one, for sure,” he told the How to be a Baller podcast from VERSUS.
“Just because of the nature of how things happened; the timing of it was frustrating for me personally but [now] I’m in a good place.
“I hope in pre-season I’m ready to go. It’s been mentally really challenging in the sense that having to rebuild my body this many times.
“I think some players sometimes when it happens we see it as a project, a chance to come back better, stronger and I had that many setbacks and warnings.
“I was already so grateful to be fit and to be playing, I didn’t really need the reminder at the time.
“Everything happens for a reason and it’s been a real journey to just look at the game again. Watching the Euros and so on has been difficult. It’ll be nice to have a fresh start and go again.”
Van Dijk has also been sidelined since suffering an ACL injury in the Merseyside derby draw with Everton last October following a challenge by Jordan Pickford.
As a result of surgery, Van Dijk was also forced to miss out on Euro 2020 this summer as he continued his rehabilitation with the Reds.
But just like Gomez, the Dutchman returned to action against Hertha in Austria last Thursday.
And although he obviously wishes things would have been different, Gomez admits it was a 'blessing in disguise' to have his teammate alongside him during his rehab.
He said: “I’m thankful for sure. Everyone knows Virg’s quality, the best centre-back in the world and it’s something I’m blessed to be amongst. He’s got such an elite mentality.
“Being injured at the same time has been difficult but a blessing in disguise, the comfort of having someone to speak to.”
Do you want an exclusive pre-season Liverpool preview - both in your inbox and through your letterbox? Head over here to find out more and secure your copy
