Liverpool full back Andy Robertson has revealed he played in pain for the entirety of the Reds’ Premier League title run-in last season and Scotland’s European Championship campaign this summer.
The Scotland captain suffered an injury playing for his national team in March and, though he returned to action promptly, Robertson never fully got over the blow. Mail Sport understands it was an ankle ligament issue that was worse than many thought.
And the 30-year-old has now admitted it was a nasty blow that saw him forced to fight through the pain barrier to play matches. ‘I felt really good against Ipswich (on Saturday), all things considered,’ he said. ‘I was playing in pain from March onwards.
‘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 did not and I needed a wee bit longer.’
Robertson was spotted hobbling out of stadiums on a number of occasions after matches at the tail end of last season – only to be fit and firing on the team-sheet for the next game – and was forced to not play in Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Andy Robertson has admitted he played through pain during Liverpool's Premier League title run-in
The full back revealed he sustained an injury back in March while on international duty with Scotland
Robertson never fully got over the blow and Mail Sport understands he sustained an ankle ligament injury
The left back did travel to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia but flew home ahead of the third leg of the tour in South Carolina to finalise an individual fitness programme. He started the first match of the new season despite having just an hour of pre-season under his belt.
He added: ‘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 and trying to learn even when I could not be on the pitch.
‘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. It will take a lot of time, of course.
‘But I felt fit on Saturday, I feel good. I am pain free for the first time in five months. I came off the last 10 minutes which is fine, I started getting a little bit tired which is normal. Long may it continue.’
Robertson said that he 'felt fit on Saturday' as Liverpool claimed a 2-0 victory at Ipswich
His contract with Liverpool will expire in June 2026 and by that point he will be 32-years-old
Robertson’s Liverpool deal runs up until the end of next season – June 2026 – and by that point he will be 32. He is two games away from bringing up his 300th appearance in a Reds shirt after signing for a mere £8million in 2017.
A book by former transfer guru Ian Graham released this week revealed Liverpool had doubts over his defensive abilities. But Jurgen Klopp fought back by saying he did not care if Robertson could defend or not, he wanted his left back to attack.