Sadio Mane insists he is not grappling with any physical fatigue as he prepares for a potential first start of the season against Chelsea in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup.
Mane was the final Liverpool player to return to training after going all the way to the Africa Cup of Nations final with Senegal.
This, after he only finished the domestic campaign on June 1, has led to concerns that tiredness will affect his performances.
But Mane, a second-half substitute in our opening game against Norwich, has dismissed those fears.
“For sure, I am ready to start,” he said, as quoted by the Mail. “Let’s do this. Tiredness is only here [points to his head].
“I don’t think I have had a holiday in seven years, so I’m used to it.”
Mane is clearly accustomed to the rapid turnaround, and fans can rest assured that the club will be monitoring his condition very closely, particularly in the coming weeks, to ensure he remains relatively fresh.
The demands on the players this season will be greater than ever, with the Super Cup one of six trophies still on offer. Managing fatigue levels will be an understated, but critical, task for the behind-the-scenes experts.