Jordan Henderson has credited Luis Suarez with aiding Liverpool’s rise.
Suarez spent three-and-a-half years at Anfield and steered the club to within a whisker of their first Premier League title before joining Barcelona in 2014.
But the Uruguayan was widely jeered upon a first return to his former stomping ground for the 2019 Champions League semi-final second leg.
Suarez’s last meeting with the Reds in their Group B win at Atletico Madrid also saw him involved in a spat with Virgil van Dijk during a 10-minute cameo.
Ahead of Wednesday’s return fixture, Henderson hailed his ex-teammate’s relentless mentality with laying the groundwork for Jurgen Klopp’s side now.
He said: “We all know he’s a top player, has been for a long time, who produced so many good moments at Liverpool.
“I learned a lot from him while he was here.
“I’m quite close to him and still speak to him. Now and again I’ll call him to see how he is doing, how his family is doing and things like that.
“I took a lot from him. He helped us a lot when he was at Liverpool with the mentality side of things – how he was in training, how he always wanted to win and how he played through pain barriers.
“He just wanted to get out and play football and try his best for the team. He helped me massively and made me grow in confidence as a player.
“I had a good relationship with him on the pitch but also off the pitch as well.”
Henderson also backed Liverpool fans to show their appreciation for the veteran striker, 34, directly after their upcoming encounter with Atleti.
“When Luis was here he was phenomenal for a number of years, he was outstanding,” added the midfielder.
“I think the fans will appreciate that and what he did at this football club.
“I don’t think Luis will be too bothered but of course it would be nice, maybe not during the game but after, for him to get a nice reception from the crowd.”