Liverpool suffers a shocking injury blow involving their 18-year-old newcomer

Liverpool has just been hit with bad news as young defender Giovanni Leoni sustained a severe injury during his debut match, almost certainly ruling him out for the entire 2025/26 season.

Round 3 match Carabao Cup between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield ended with a 2-1 victory for The Kop. However, the joy for coach Arne Slot’s team was quickly overshadowed by the serious injury suffered by 18-year-old newcomer Giovanni Leoni.

The Italian player showed great confidence in his first appearance for Liverpool’s first team before falling to the ground after a challenge in the 81st minute. Leoni clutched his knee in pain, requiring medical attention and was stretchered off the pitch, unable to hide his tears of disappointment.

Initial medical examinations revealed that the defender had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the most serious injuries in football. It is expected that Leoni will need at least 6-9 months to recover, meaning he is unlikely to return before the end of the 2025/26 season.

Losing Leoni is a major setback for coach Arne Slot’s plans, especially given Liverpool’s already thin defensive options. Besides captain Virgil van Dijk, the Dutch coach only has Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, and Rhys Williams available.

The problem is that both Gomez and Konate have a history of frequent injuries in recent years. Another injury could force Slot to deploy midfielders like Wataru Endo or Ryan Gravenberch as center-backs.

It’s no coincidence that Liverpool aggressively pursued Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace) on the final day of the summer transfer window. However, the deal fell through when Crystal Palace demanded £50 million or wanted Gomez included in the deal. The Kop immediately refused, unwilling to lose another key player.

Leoni’s incident has placed immense pressure on Arne Slot in his first season leading Liverpool. Although the team advanced to the Carabao Cup fourth round thanks to Hugo Ekitike’s late winning goal, defensive personnel issues remain a critical concern.

Leoni, formerly of Parma and currently an Italy U19 international, was expected to play a key role in Liverpool’s youth rejuvenation plan. However, this serious injury will force the 18-year-old defender into a long-term absence, facing a tough recovery journey.

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