Lucas Leiva today delivered a heartfelt message to Liverpool fans all around the world for the messages of support they have sent him following news he will miss the remainder of the current season.

It was confirmed on Thursday afternoon the Brazil midfielder will undergo surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained against Chelsea, meaning he will sit out the remainder of the 2011-12 campaign.

Since then, thousands of fans have joined LFC players and staff in sending their 'get well soon' messages to the 24-year-old - and Lucas admits such support will act as a spur as he takes the first steps on the road to full fitness.

"I didn't realise what an impact my injury could make on the fans," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "A lot of people have been sending me positive messages, and this makes me feel stronger.

"I know at the moment I haven't had time to think too much about the injury and I am just trying to get everything ready for the operation, but I know when I have difficult times during my rehab one of the things that I will remember will be the messages.

"I want to say thank you very much for all the messages the fans have sent me on the website and on my Twitter page too. I have read a lot of them and all of them have been very positive. They have given me more confidence to come back strongly."

Lucas has been inundated with messages from fans and both former and current Reds players on his Twitter pages, while over 2,000 posts were made wishing him a speedy recovery on Liverpoolfc.tv in less than 24 hours.

It's not just those connected to Liverpool who have been in touch with the No.21 as even Chelsea's Juan Mata contacted him to offer his support.

Lucas added: "I have worked hard to get people to believe in me and my football - and I can see the fans appreciate the work I have done.

"Even in difficult times, I have put my head down and worked really hard to achieve things and try to be an important player for the club.

"I want to say many thanks to the fans. There are no words I can say to express how much I appreciate all of the messages and positive thinking all of them are sending to me.

"When I come back onto the pitch, I will repay everything they are doing at the moment for me and keep wearing the shirt with pride.

"They are really important for me because it will be a difficult time and it will be important to have the messages I have received."

The injury comes on the back of three performances in which Lucas was a strong contender for man of the match against Chelsea twice and Manchester City at Anfield.

"I am sure I was in my best form - even when I had a great season in Brazil, it was nowhere near how I was playing here," he said. "It's a pity the injury has come at this moment in time, but there is never a good time to have an injury.

"I have spoken with a lot of friends and other players, 80 per cent of other players have had an injury but came back stronger and are playing fantastic football. That's what I am trying to focus on.

"When I come back, the image the fans have of me will be of the last three games I played against Chelsea, City and Chelsea again - and I will use those games to give me more motivation to come back stronger and fitter.

"I think I will be stronger mentally as well because it is a difficult time for me, but I will deal with it and I won't give up because it is not part of my character."

Lucas will now join fans in cheering Liverpool on in the remainder of the season - and he's already dreaming of joining his teammates at Wembley next year if they can go all the way in the Carling Cup.

He said: "Now I will be another fan, supporting the team, watching the games and I am already hoping I will be at Wembley to get a medal.

"I have to support my teammates, hopefully they will have a very good season and next season I will come back to play an important role in the team again.

"I have never had any doubts about Liverpool Football Club or the fans, but this kind of thing just shows how special the Liverpool fans are. I am sure all throughout my recovery the fans will be sending me messages.

"All of my life, and in my career here at Liverpool, nothing has been easy. It's another obstacle but I am sure I will achieve everything I dream of in a Liverpool shirt and I will be back sooner than people expect."



http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/lucas-s-message-to-reds-fans


What. A. Man. I love him so much. True class.

"Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has placed Celtic's Beram Kayal on a list of potential replacements for injured midfielder Lucas Leiva." (Daily Mail)

*Applying Newspaper bullshit remover*

"King Kenny was at a Celtic match the other night"

But the patch of form he has hit now was probably his best so far in his Liverpool career.

I'm fair bias, but i think he's quite good. Good technical skills, and got a great head on him, a good leader, and never backs down or hides from a challenge. Only young too, got a good future ahead of him.

He didn't say that.. did he? :/

Have to agree. He is a very good player. It would be interesting to see him in the Premier League. I don't know if he would be the best player for Liverpool though. A big step for a player like him.

I don't read much in Kenny being there. I think he goes up whenever he can.

This. Can't get too ahead of himself, I think he'd want to move to a Villa, Sunderland etc first. I think he's def good enough for a mid level EPL side, and then progress to the step up.

That said, he's just signed a contract extension earlier this year, and loves it in Glasgow, I don't think he'll be leaving soon.

wheres Redkat????


Karma can be a bitch ey?

As we've seen quite a few times, 'quite good' in the SPL is usually 'mediocre' in the EPL. We need someone more proven at the moment.

The result this morning was sickening. That red card was laughable.

Probably be forced to drop Adam a little deeper and switch Hendo to the middle. Alternatively, Agger in DM and Carragher comes back in to partner Skrtel.

I didn't really see all the fuss about the red card. Thought it was deserved. He may have won the ball but it was a shocking tackle. You can't launch yourself off the ground studs first and expect to get away with it.

This. He plants his studs straight into Dembele's ankle.

It was no worse than Rodwell's tackle, which you argued wasn't a red card until you were blue in the face. He only caught Dembele "On the follow through" which was your defence at the time for the Rodwell tackle.

The difference we Rodwell at no point did he fly studs first into Suarez's ankle, and at no point were his studs even dangerously close to Suarez

Are you really going to sit there and say that Spearing's was no worse than this



Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/12/2011 12:01:48 AM

And your argument for the Rodwell red card was that he went in studs up, which is exactly what Spearing did. So which is it?

Spearing = red.
Rodwell = not even a foul.

Coming from an LFC supporter.

Except for when his trailing leg digs into Suarez's foot...

Jay Spearing goes in with one foot and then his trailing leg flicks out as he twists. 5-10 years ago, a tackle like that would have been applauded. It's shameful that after the uproar from the Rodwell incident, Spearing is shown a straight red.

:lol: Rodwell's leg makes contact with Suarez's foot for literally a second, and it's hardly any contact at all.

Com[are that with Spearing who is completely off the ground, studs up and clatters straight into Dembele's ankle.

As for his trailing leg flicking out, you're right it does, but it's not his trailing leg that's the problem. His trailing leg isn't the one that makes the most contact with Dembele, and it isn't the one that's studs up. It's his right foot, the one he wins the ball with, that goes studs first into Dembele's ankle. Now unlike Rodwell, who got his studs down and away from the opposing player straight after winning the ball, Spearing goes straight through the player and plants his studs into Dembele's ankle.

The fact that Liverpool are even thinking about appealing is just hilarious. The FA should add another match ontop of the original 3 for a frivolous appeal

Watch it again, he doesn't make any contact with the front foot #-o

If by front foot you mean the foot that initially gets the ball than I really have no idea what tackle you are watching.

The best angle of the tackle is in this video at around the 2:35 mark. Clearly shows Spearing's whole body off the ground and him getting the ball and then his studs go straight into Dembele's ankle.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/fulham-1-liverpool-0/

He wins the ball with his right foot, as he turns, his left foot is carried into Dembele.

So explain then why this shows his right foot going straight into the ankle of Dembele?

Really? Jesus christ. You know you could've just said from the start you were watching a different tackle because you clearly arent watching the red card challenge.

Just because you've got a screenshot where the two overlap doesn't mean that they actually made contact.

Afro are you being this ignorant on purpose. Please say yes. I posted the link to a video which at the 2:35 mark clearly shows Spearings right foot studs first straight into Dembele's ankle. A screenshot may not be good enough forgot but surely actual video is.

Watch that video and if after watching it you can still sit there and say that his right foot doesn't go into Dembele, well then oh boy.

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/12/2011 08:58:55 AM

The video has been taken down. And it didn't show his right leg hitting his leg. How can it hit his leg when it got the ball. His left leg was the one that made contact. It's a bit embarrassing that at your age you don't know your left from your right.

Edited by afromanGT: 7/12/2011 09:35:09 AM

Really Afro, I'm the one who's embarassing? Jesus, that's dire.

Ooooo look what I've found.



Oh and here's another one



And here's my personal favourite



Now excuse me, since I don't know my left from my right, can someone please help me and tell me whether that is Jay Spearing's right or left leg clattering studs first into Dembele's leg.


Edited by sydneycroatia58: 7/12/2011 09:45:20 AM

:lol: :lol: Get this shit out of my beloved LFC thread please. There's no point debating it, what's done is done.

Disappointing result because we didn't deserve to lose that one, not at all. Oh well, our first loss in ages so we just have to cop it. Hopefully we bounce back next time out.

NFI who is going to play DM now... Dagger can come in, or just play Hendo and Adam together in a flat midfield 4... maybe even Coady can get promoted into the firsts :S

I would say hes studs were more up than Rodwell. I would have given yellow for that tackle, not red.



hahaha, you watch that, i need to go shine the "toilet seat"

Yeah it would be embarrassing not knowing left from right