Virgil van Dijk has shocked Liverpool fans by describing his injury repair after a horror tail of Jordan Pickford as 'one of the best times of my life'.
In 2020, the Dutch defender tore his ACL after an annoying collision with the Everton Net-Linder in Goodison Park.
In the incident of Merseyside Derby, Van Dijk saw spending almost a year on the sidelines when he recovered from the injury.
Despite the test, the recently crowned Premier League champion with great pleasure looks back on that period.
“It was one of the best times of my life,” Van Dijk told GQ.
“It was difficult. Mentally more than whatever. You have sleepless nights.
'You keep asking yourself, how will this come true? Shall I be the same player?
'But physically, I think, because you are an athlete, you can do your head.
'It's just – I had to take most of my rehabilitation from the club, in Dubai, so I was with my family, which was so nice.
'Seven weeks with them. I can never do that.
'It was one of the best family time I have ever had.
“And of course nobody wants a serious knee injury, but that time we had was a bit worth it.”
Van Dijk recently celebrated Liverpool's titles success after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.
He has also signed a two -year contract extension, which ends speculation about his future with his old deal that ends at the end of the season.
For all the recent good news Van Dijk admitted that the focus on the injury had hit him at the time.
'Every mistake, in every game, people will refer to the injury.
'I know you can do nine things well and one thing is wrong, and people will only concentrate on that only wrong thing.
'It can mess up your head and then you lose confidence, you feel afraid of making mistakes.
'Trust is like a flower, Jürgen [Klopp] Has taught me that.
“So I know I have to communicate leadership, only by someone looking at me.”