Aurelio: It's great fans remember me
Three years have passed since Fabio Aurelio said farewell to Liverpool but the Brazilian still feels a strong connection to the club and especially the supporters.
Now retired from football and venturing into business around his hometown, the former Reds full-back was in a relaxed mood as he caught up with Liverpoolfc.com.
After offering his thoughts on the recent signing of compatriot Roberto Firmino and the rise of Philippe Coutinho at Anfield, the conversation turned to Aurelio himself.
Back in 2006, he was the first Brazilian to join the club.
Operating on the left side, Aurelio provided a calm, reliable presence in a defensive capacity, but also an outlet for sweeping up the flank with attacking intent.
His technique on the ball was outstanding, typified by his set-piece prowess, with free-kick goals at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge imprinted in the memories of Kopites.
So while a succession of injuries prevented the defender from making far more than 134 appearances, he remains popular among fans - something he's proud of.
"I have great memories," said Aurelio.
"There is always the feeling that apart from the injuries, I could have done a lot more than what I did. That is the bad feeling I have from the time I spent with Liverpool, because I had some great moments but I couldn't keep it going with a good rhythm - the injuries were always an obstacle that I had to play against.
"But apart from that, the moments I did spend on the pitch were great moments and I will always have them with me. It's always great to see the fans remember those moments now."
Though he was briefly back on Merseyside a year ago, the 35-year-old has yet to return to Anfield to watch his old team in action since leaving.
It's a situation he's keen to change in the near future, however.
Aurelio said: "Last summer I was back in Liverpool. I went to visit some people at Melwood, but the time we have holidays here [in Brazil] is always also the time that the players are on holidays [in England].
"It would be great to go to Anfield again and watch Liverpool play from the stands. Until now I haven't had the opportunity, but I hope to in the future."
In the meantime, the Sao Carlos native is using all means necessary to keep up with Liverpool's exploits, whether that be live on television or on social media.
"They show a lot of the games in Brazil," he added. "I follow LFC on Instagram and it's easier, even with a big distance between us, the internet and television follow the English competitions and Premier League.
"So it's not difficult to follow [Liverpool] and I enjoy doing it a lot."