Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni out for rest of season with ACL injury

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni will be out for around a year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, an injury sustained during his debut for the Reds in their Carabao Cup win over Southampton. The 18-year-old centre-back, who joined Liverpool from Parma in the summer for £26 million, was stretchered off in the 78th minute following an awkward landing after a challenge on the touchline.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed the long-term nature of Leoni’s injury after further medical assessments. Slot expressed sympathy for the young player, highlighting the difficulty of such a serious injury on a debut and in a new country. He stated, "There is never a positive side, but you try to look at that, and he is still so young and he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that."

Slot also addressed concerns about squad depth at centre-back following Leoni's setback. With Leoni out, Joe Gomez remains the only senior backup to Liverpool’s main central defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. Slot mentioned that academy graduate Rhys Williams, who was on loan at Morecambe before, appeared on the bench for the Southampton game and may offer another option at the position.

Leoni’s injury represents a significant blow to Liverpool’s defensive options this season and complicates their defensive plans going forward. Despite the setback, the club emphasizes the player’s youth as a hopeful factor for full recovery and a strong future career.

```
PP