Luis Diaz explained why he is “highly motivated” for 2023–24 because he is better after going through a very hard time.

The Colombian forward only played 21 games last season because of injuries, but he scored the first goal in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea to start the new season.

Now, Diaz wants the Reds to get their first three points of the season this Saturday, when AFC Bournemouth comes to Anfield for a 3 p.m. BST kickoff.

Liverpoolfc.com talked to the No. 7 about the game and how he plays on the field. He also talked about the battle for attacking positions in the team. Check out the interview below…

Luis, your first game is over, and you also scored a goal. How do you feel about the tie at Chelsea?

I think it’s very important to get the season off on the right foot. I think that getting a good point away from a place like Chelsea is a good start for the team. And for me, scoring early in the season gives me a lot of confidence, so I’m hoping that will help me throughout the rest of the season.

The attack as a whole is so strong on the front line. Do you all try to be at your best because of the competition?

There is a lot of competition in this forward line, and I think all of the players are good. We each do what we can to help the team. I think one of the good things it does for the team is that it makes you give every training session your all. You know that every minute of every practice is important, and you know that the boss will pick the players who are in the best shape and playing the best for the next game. I think that’s a great way to move on.

It’s clear that the Liverpool fans love you because you make every game so much fun for them. Is that a big part of how you see the game as a way to have fun and be entertained?

I’ve always been the kind of football player who loves the game. That’s what makes me happy, and it’s great to hear that people in the game and fans like the way I play. I do try to make people laugh, and it’s obvious that I’m always very, very happy on the field. I’ve always liked doing it, and those are the kinds of things I try to show off when I’m out on the field and showing myself.

You were hurt a lot last season, which made things hard for you. Did that really hard spell almost make you enjoy playing more and make you stronger in some way?

I always think it’s very, very important to be able to help the team. I am 100% myself right now, and I feel really, really good. At the same time, I feel very calm and relaxed, which is a good sign. I think that when you go through bad times like you said, you value the good times much more. It shows you that you never know what’s around the next corner or what’s going to happen next, so you have to enjoy each day as it comes and make the most of it. You really like how good you feel and how good you feel about yourself. During those hard times, it was all about working hard and training hard to make sure I could come back 100% and start participating again.

This weekend, you play Bournemouth. How excited are you to be back at Anfield, and what kind of test do you think they will be?

First of all, it will be wonderful to be back. It’s the first game at Anfield in a few months, and as usual, we’ll try our hardest to win and get all three points at home. We always try to win, especially in front of our fans at home. As for Bournemouth, I don’t think there are any easy games in the Premier League, and they’ll be tough like every other team. I think they might be the kind of team that holds back a bit and tries to hit us on the counterattack, so we need to be aware of that. But the most important thing is that we focus on playing our own game, and we have to keep up a fast pace from the first minute to the 90th minute to make sure we can handle any of their risks and get the three points.