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Giovanni Leoni’s injury has dealt Liverpool a devastating blow in what has overwise been a blistering start to the season.
Until the Italian defender lay prone on the Anfield touchline, little of real significance had gone wrong for the Reds thus far in 2025/26. But Arne Slot confirmed ahead of this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace that Leoni won’t be available again this season due to a torn ACL, leaving Liverpool with a dearth of center-back options going forward.
But the human element shouldn’t be overlooked. That an 18-year-old talent, seemingly with the world at his feet, sustained the serious injury on his Liverpool debut is gut-wrenching.
That he performed so well in the match compounds matters. He looked at ease against Southampton. His performance had a commanding presence, and the teenager showcased the physical presence, agility, composure, and defensive nous that convinced Liverpool to part with an initial £26 million ($35M) for a player who made just 17 top-flight league appearances.
Now, the most juvenile and inexperienced of the club’s summer signings has been dealt a catastrophic blow. Just as he begins acclimating to his new environment, Leoni has been stripped of his very purpose in moving to Liverpool.
Slot said Leoni is unlikely to return for around 12 months. In reality, the prodigious talent’s development could be stalled for two full seasons.
Yet, it does not mean he can’t emerge stronger from the experience and fulfil the potential he so clearly possesses. Plenty have suffered ACL injuries in the past and managed to fully recover. In fact, that applies to two of Leoni’s new teammates.
Virgil van Dijk’s ACL injury in 2020 derailed the Reds’ hopes of retaining the Premier League title and he missed a full 10 months.
Returning at the start of the following season, Van Dijk played 51 games and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, and the FIFPRO World XI. At 34, he remains the globe’s preeminent center-back.
Perhaps even more relatable is Joe Gomez. He knows better than most about recovering from setbacks and will sympathize with Leoni, given that he too suffered an ACL tear as an 18-year-old during his first few months at Liverpool.
Gomez has gone on to win every trophy imaginable and is closing in on 250 Liverpool appearances despite his catalogue of injury woes.
Should Leoni be in need of advice or a pick-me-up, he knows where to turn.
“That definitely helps and we have some examples with that from Virgil and Joe,” said Slot on Friday. “There are a lot examples all around the world. The positive thing is he is still 18 so he still has a lot of time to go when you get an injury like that.
“The most important is the surgeon who is going to do the surgery and the recovery and rehab. It is always nice if you can do this in a surrounding or setting with players who have lived through this. They can give you the right energy in certain moments.
“Our players already showed a lot of compassion towards him and they will not stop doing that over the upcoming year.”
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