Alisson: Prayer and physio brought me back from my injury early
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said he was able to halve his rehabilitation time after a shoulder injury thanks to a combination of prayer and physiotherapy.
Jurgen Klopp feared the Brazilian would be missing for six weeks after a freak training ground collision at the start of October, and when Liverpool conceded nine goals in two Premier League games without their number one the consequences looked serious for title ambitions.
But Alisson declared himself fit 24 hours before Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday and the difference was immediately visible as he brought customary assurance between the posts.
“I have the top physios on my side, helping me to accelerate the recovery weeks,” said Alisson.
“As soon as the doctor said it was four to six weeks, I said no doc, we go to two to three weeks maximum. He agrees with me and we go for it. I just want to thank the physios, the fitness staff and the doctors and the goalie coaches who help me.”
Asked what he worked on to speed up the recovery, he said: “I pray a lot. Seriously.
“Also, I did a lot of sessions of treatment. I was every day for five or six hours at the club doing sessions with the physios and the fitness department. After two and a half weeks I started to dive and then on Friday I gave the green light to the boss. I believe my faith and working hard helps me in this fast recovery.”
Although Alisson says he still feels ‘something weird’ in the shoulder, he insisted the pain is gone and he is 100 per cent fit.
On Tuesday, he will feature in the Champions League for the first time since last season's round of 16, first leg versus Atletico Madrid. His absence in the second leg effectively cost Liverpool a chance to defend their title as they were beaten after an error by his understudy Adrian.
“It is bad not being involved in a football game. It is the worst thing for a football player,” said Alisson.
“It is part of the job. We try to avoid injuries but they sometimes happen. I am glad it was only three weeks but it was a long three weeks, like three months. Not being involved is hard because you want to help.”
Liverpool still expect to be without Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip for Tuesday’s game, Klopp suggesting he will be working with the same squad that overcame Sheffield United.
Liverpool’s players watched the finale of last year’s tournament from their pre-season camp in Austria, and there is a determination not to become spectators in the latter stages again.
“We love the competition and still loved it when we got knocked out last year, too early,” said Klopp.
“It is Europe, it is Anfield, it is Champions League. No crowd but it is still the competition we love. We will see how far we can go. There are no guarantees but there are opportunities and I like opportunities.”
