Liverpool winger, Luis Diaz, returned to the field after a six-month hiatus due to a knee injury. His wife, Gera Ponce, expressed her love and admiration for him in an emotional Instagram message, marking the momentous occasion.
Diaz had been sidelined since October after suffering a knee injury against Arsenal. He briefly resumed training in December but aggravated his injury, requiring surgery. After a long road to recovery, Diaz finally stepped back onto the field on April 17th, coming on as a substitute for Cody Gakpo during Liverpool’s 6-1 win against Leeds United.
Though Diaz only had 12 touches and completed 10 passes during his brief appearance, his 100% pass accuracy showed promise for his return to top form. While Liverpool fans rejoiced at his return, no one felt the impact more than his wife, Gera Ponce.
In her Instagram post, Ponce wrote, “How immense the admiration and the pride you make us feel. The most sublime moment after all this recovery time is seeing you enter [the field] again.” She continued, “That feeling we missed so much. And obviously you. More than anyone. You wanted today. I confirm that all the sacrifice and the difficult moments throughout these months have been worth every second. That God is good and his time is perfect.”
Before his injury, Diaz had been a crucial player for Liverpool, scoring four goals and providing three assists in just 12 appearances. His return could play a significant role in Liverpool’s push for a top-four finish, as they currently sit in eighth place with 47 points, nine points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also commented on Diaz’s return, saying, “It’s just nice to see him play, to be honest. We missed him so long, so it’s just nice to see him being involved again.”
Diaz is expected to gradually build up his playing time in the coming weeks and could potentially start their next game against Nottingham Forest on April 22nd.