Liverpool star Giovanni Leoni provides injury update after ACL tear and surgery

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Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni has confirmed he has undergone surgery on an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuryGiovanni Leoni has sent a message to the Liverpool fans after undergoing surgery on an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. The 18-year-old sustained the issue on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last month.After signing for the Reds in a £26million deal from Parma in August, Leoni had been waiting for his chance and Arne Slot gave him that for the Carabao Cup third round tie at home to Will Still's side.Although the Italian impressed, his debut was ended in cruel fashion as he went crashing down following an awkward challenge in the 81st minute.Following treatment from the medical staff, Leoni was stretchered off and Slot admitted after the match that it didn't look good for the teenage centre-back.READ MORE: Curtis Jones makes alarming admission about Liverpool's defeat to GalatasarayREAD MORE: Galatasaray boss rubs salt in Liverpool wounds after beating Reds - 'A sense of fear'It was later confirmed that Leoni had indeed torn his ACL, with Slot claiming in his pre-Crystal Palace press conference last Friday that he could be out for around 12 months.

"He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year, Slot said."Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game... it's very hard to take the positive side. There's never a positive side - but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that."Leoni has since confirmed he has undergone surgery on the ACL injury and took the time to thank everyone for their messages of support, with the Liverpool defender now set for a long road to recovery.In an Instagram story, Leoni said, alongside an image of him in a hospital bed: "Surgery done.

I'll be back soon," alongside a red love heart emoji and a folded hands emoji."Leoni will have support from the likes of Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez who have suffered similar injuries and shown it is possible to return to the same level as before.When asked about that before his side's trip to Palace last Friday, Slot said: "I think that last thing definitely helps and we have some examples of that with Virgil [van Dijk] and Joe [Gomez], and there are a lot of examples all around the world," said the head coach."That's why I said the positive thing is that he is still 18, so he still has a lot of time to go. But in both situations it's far from ideal."I think the main and most important thing is the surgeons that are going to do the surgery, then second of all the ones that do the recovery, the rehab, with him."But then it's always nice if you can do this in a surrounding with players who have lived through this as well, they can give you the right energy maybe in certain moments."And I think our players already showed in the last two days a lot of compassion towards him and they will not stop doing that in the upcoming year."Follow us on Twitter @‌LivEchoLFC - the official Liverpool ECHO LFC Twitter account - for all the latest LFC news as it happens in real time.We're also on Facebook/LiverpoolEchoLFC - your must-see LFC news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Liverpool ECHO.Listen to our podcasts by searching for 'Blood Red' wherever you get your podcasts.Sign up to one of the Liverpool Echo's free daily and weekly newsletters on Liverpool FC by clicking here.