'I'm sharp and ready for Alberto battle'
Jose Enrique admits he's been pleasantly surprised by his fitness levels after a long injury lay-off - and insists he now feels ready to tussle with compatriot Alberto Moreno for a place in the Liverpool side.
Enrique has spent the last year slowly recuperating from an injury to his right knee - a problem he picked up in October 2013 and one which kept him sidelined until Tottenham Hotspur in August this year.
Following his cameo at White Hart Lane, the Spaniard made a first start for the club in 11 months against Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, playing for 120 minutes on a dramatic September night at Anfield.
Wednesday night's clash with FC Basel brought a first taste of Champions League football, a second start of the campaign and a bout of uncharacteristic pre-match nerves for the 28-year-old.
But while he insists the overwhelming emotion was one of disappointment following the Reds' 1-0 defeat at St. Jakob-Park, Enrique believes he can at least take solace from the match sharpness he felt out on the field.
Reflecting on the night, the full-back told Liverpoolfc.com: "We're very disappointed because at least a point against Basel would have been good for us.
"We have two games now against Real Madrid and they're going to be difficult. But in football anyone can beat anyone. We play at Anfield first and we will try to make it as good as it was last year and try to beat Real.
"Then we will try to get to the next round. That's still our target and we want to be there. Wednesday was very disappointing because I think we could look much better, but I was really happy to start the game.
"I knew a few days before that I was starting because the manager told me. It was my first-ever game in the Champions League, so it was really important for me. Normally I'm not really nervous when I play against any team but on Wednesday I was a little bit nervous beforehand.
"That's because it's an amazing competition to play in. I think it's the best one to play in for a club and I was really excited to play. I'm really happy to be back. My knee is feeling completely perfect.
"This was my second start - I played 120 minutes against Middlesbrough. So it was another 90 minutes under my belt and that was really good.
"I'm surprised because I feel fitter than I expected to be after such a long time - 11 months - without playing. I'm really happy to be back and hopefully the manager will give me more games."
Asked about the prospect of challenging Moreno, who has started each of Liverpool's six Barclays Premier League games in the left-back role since arriving from Sevilla in the summer, Enrique replied: "I'm ready.
"I'm fit now. Of course, he is the manager's choice at the moment, but the manager knows as well that I'm completely fit. I've already spoken with him about it. I want to play as well, like Alberto does.
"So it's going to be nice competition for us. Both of us can play a little bit higher as well, so there will be a good choice.
"But it's the manager's choice and the most important thing is the team. We fight for the same thing - which is to try to get Liverpool as high as possible."