Lucas Leiva confident of returning to best form

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva is confident that his injury problems of the past two years are behind him.

The Brazilian missed the majority of the 2010-2011 campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, before a thigh problem kept him out for three months last season.

However, the 26-year-old has revealed that he is feeling "50-60%" better ahead of the new campaign.

"I'm feeling 50-60% better than I was last season," he told the club's official website.

"The last six months I played were really important for me. I needed to get games and sessions, and this season now I'm feeling strong and feeling that I'm in the shape I was before the injury.

"Now I've got to improve the fitness and build confidence, but I'm really happy with the way pre-season has started."

Lucas joined the Reds from Gremio in 2007.