Giovanni Leoni’s return from injury delayed in fresh blow to Liverpool
Giovanni Leoni’s return to Liverpool training has been delayed by about a month because the knee injury he suffered on his debut was more extensive than first understood. The 19-year-old is now expected to rejoin team training during the international break starting on 9 November, with the club prioritising a careful rehabilitation.
Leoni joined from Parma for £26m in 2025 and injured his anterior cruciate ligament against Southampton 13 months ago; damage also affected other parts of his knee. Head coach Andoni Iraola said the delay was not viewed as a setback, but Liverpool want him to be confident in his recovery and able to remain with the team. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are also doubts for Saturday’s trip to Brentford after missing the previous two matches.
- Leoni’s return to team training is delayed by about a month.
- His knee injury involved more than the ACL.
- Three Liverpool players are doubts for Brentford.
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Giovanni Leoni is a young Italian defender who joined Liverpool from Parma in 2025. He injured his knee on his first appearance for the club, and the damage was more extensive than initially understood.
Knee injuries can take many months to recover from, and returning to full team training is one stage of that process. Liverpool are managing Leoni’s rehabilitation carefully so he can regain confidence and build up his fitness before playing again.
His absence means Liverpool have one fewer defender available, while the fitness of several other players may also affect the team. How and when Leoni returns could matter to the club’s options later in the season.