Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has admitted that the upcoming season is an "especially important" one for himself and revealed that he is now fully fit again.
The Brazilian has suffered two lengthy injury layoffs in the past 18 months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a League Cup tie at Chelsea in November 2011 and suffering a torn thigh muscle against Manchester City last August.
"Every season is important but this one is especially key for me," Lucas told the Liverpool Echo. "Last season was about getting games and trying to put my two bad injuries behind me.
"I had been out for one year so it's not easy to get back to the level I was at before the injuries, especially after the second injury when I couldn't do much because of the muscle problem.
"I had to be patient. In the last six months of the season I just needed to get through the games and the training sessions. Now it's a different challenge for me. I'm feeling really sharp and at 100%. I can feel the difference already in pre-season."
Liverpool began their pre-season tour of Asia with a 2-0 win against an Indonesian XI on Saturday.
Paul Gorst
