Giovanni Leoni Facing Months Out With ACL Injury – KopTalk

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni is ready for a prolonged spell on the sidelines after struggling a critical knee harm throughout his debut towards Southampton within the Carabao Cup.

The 18-year-old Italian centre-back, who joined from Parma for £26 million final month, was stretchered off within the 81st minute of Tuesday evening’s 2-1 victory at Anfield. His efficiency till that time had impressed each supporters and head coach Arne Slot, however the teenager’s night resulted in agony following an ungainly touchdown close to the Important Stand.

Hire-a-Tweet Fabrizio Romano reported that Leoni has sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), ruling him out for a number of months. Whereas Liverpool haven’t but launched an official assertion, the replace is taken into account credible given Romano’s shut ties to the participant’s camp.

It’s understood Leoni hopes to return earlier than the top of the season, however such accidents sometimes require an extended rehabilitation course of. If confirmed, his absence will cut back Liverpool’s choices on the again to Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Joe Gomez, with Wataru Endo and Rhys Williams attainable emergency cowl.

UEFA rules would permit the Reds to make an alteration to their Champions League squad, and Federico Chiesa is one possibility into account. Though he doesn’t play in the identical function as Leoni, the guy Italian has made an encouraging begin to the marketing campaign, just lately creating objectives for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike within the win earlier this week.

For Leoni, the setback is a merciless twist after a powerful debut displaying, and it will likely be a check of character for a teen who had solely simply damaged into Italy’s senior squad earlier this month.