Liverpool’s Leoni faces long rehab after ACL tear
Arne Slot has confirmed Giovanni Leoni will miss the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton.
The 18-year-old defender, who joined from Parma in the summer for a reported £26 million ($53.2 million) plus add-ons, played 80 minutes on his Reds debut before sustaining the injury.
Liverpool, which failed to complete the signing of Crystal Palace and England centre back Marc Guehi on deadline day, is now left with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as recognised options in the position until the January transfer window.
Slot’s side has won all its matches this season since Guehi lifted the Community Shield as Palace's captain, but the Dutch manager was downcast when speaking about Leoni.
“He is not in a good place because he tore his ACL which means he will be out for a year,” Slot said, ahead of this weekend's trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
“Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game, it's very hard to take the positives.
“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.”
Slot also confirmed that Federico Chiesa, who assisted both goals in the 2-1 win against the Saints, will replace Leoni in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League squad.
