Andy Robertson has revealed he is “pain-free for the first time in five months” as he discusses the injury issues that have affected him throughout 2024.
The Scotland captain played 79 minutes in Liverpool’s Premier League opener on Saturday, helping Arne Slot’s side secure a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
Robertson had been a doubt for the match after missing most of pre-season due to a minor issue, with his only appearance being in a behind-closed-doors game against Las Palmas on August 11.
Last season, a shoulder injury in October kept him sidelined for nearly four months, and he ended up playing just 30 games – the fewest in all competitions since joining Liverpool from Hull City in the summer of 2017.
The defender has now disclosed that he was playing through significant pain during the final months of the previous campaign.
He did so in a bid to ensure he didn’t let down either his club or country, even as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were nearing the end of the season and Scotland were competing in the European Championship.
“I felt really good today, all things considered,” Robertson said after Saturday’s game.
“Look, I was playing in pain from March onwards and obviously It was a really important time for the club and then a really important time for my country.
“I hoped that the three weeks off would have settled things down but it didn’t and I needed a wee bit longer.
“So I managed to get my fitness up to a really good level in terms of not being with the team, which was hugely frustrating.
“But I made sure I was in America, in every team meeting going, asking the coaches questions, things like that, and trying to learn even when I could not be on the pitch.
“I knew that would put me in the best possible shape when I was on the pitch.
“There’s still lots to learn for all of us – it’s a completely new way of playing and new philosophy and everything.
“It will take a bit of time, of course it will.
“Obviously coming off towards the end, I started to get a little bit tired, which is normal, but I felt good today, I feel good.
“I am pain free for the first time in five months, which is always positive, so long may it continue.”
Robertson added: “(Slot) wasn’t happy (at half time, against Ipswich) but we knew that as well.
“We weren’t happy with our performance and he wasn’t as well.
“He tried to help us to see how we could maybe be a bit better on the ball and get a bit closer to the ball when they had it.
“But like I said, it’s the Premier League and it’s incredibly tough.
“Ipswich played a good first half, they were on it and they had their fans behind them and we maybe didn’t react to that as well as we possibly could.
“But second half we did and before a ball was kicked, the aim today was to win the game and to keep a clean sheet and we managed to do that.”
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