The 27-year-old had a nightmare start to life in Yorkshire with a groin injury restricting him to just one Premier League appearance before the turn of the year, having arrived at Elland Road last summer.
Llorente appeared to have returned back to full fitness in January, but then had to leave the field again with a hamstring niggle in his team’s 2-1 league win over Newcastle United.
The defender, who has now played the full 90 minutes in each of Leeds’ last four top flight games, revealed that the desire to play regularly for the club drove him forward while he was going through some of the toughest moments so far in his career.
Llorente stressed that all at Leeds, from the players to the backroom staff had his back as he was on the road to recovery and sees the spell on the sidelines as a learning experience.
Asked what he did to cope with his injuries during his recovery period, Llorente said on BBC Radio Leeds: “It was a tough period simply because I have never been out for such a long period.
“I never suffered a lengthy injury before in my career.
“So, when you are out for that length of time and then also there is this setback after having like joined back up with the group to train and had another little setback.
“But those tough times you do learn a lot from them.
“And I think what drove me forward to get out of that bad period, that kind of negative period was the desire to start playing for Leeds and to start turning out regularly for Leeds United.
“In terms of people who supported me through that period, sure the manager did, but it was not just the coach.
“My fellow team-mates, my family as well, all the backroom staff and everyone at the club really.
“Everyone, all did their little bit to try and help me get through that period and come out the other side ready to play.”
Having enjoyed an extended run in the first team, Llorente will be determined to clock up as much more minutes as he can during the remainder of the season.
