Giovanni Leoni has suffered a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament and will struggle to feature again this season in a heartbreaking injury blow for Liverpool.
The 18-year-old Italian defender made his Reds debut in their 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton on Tuesday, vastly impressing in the process before hitting the deck in sickening fashion with 10 minutes to play.
Leoni immediately looked in considerable pain, also appearing to hit head on the hard surface just off the pitch, and was stretchered off after receiving treatment.
Manager Arne Slot said he feared the worst for the summer arrival, who joined Liverpool for £26m from Parma in the transfer window. The Dutchman said post-match: “He is down because, for him, it didn’t feel good immediately. Normally, the emotions of a player tell you a lot.”
Those fears have now been realised with Leoni’s camp suspecting he suffered the worst-case scenario, tearing his ACL after going in for a tackle on the right touchline.
He will be sidelined for several months with the earliest return likely coming just before the end of the season.
While not explicitly confirming the injury, Leoni took to Instagram to express his gratitude to those that have come out to support him.
“I want to sincerely thank every single person who has shown me support in this difficult moment,” the teenager wrote.
“It wasn’t the debut I had always dreamed of, but I will give everything to be back playing in this magical stadium as soon as possible. Thank you so much!”
It leaves Liverpool with just three senior centre-backs after a deadline-day move for Marc Guehi broke down when Crystal Palace refused to sell the England international.
Leoni’s signing came after Jarell Quansah left for Bayer Leverkusen but now Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are the only three who are available to Slot.
Leoni’s injury has, however, offered a Champions League lifeline to forward Federico Chiesa, who was left out of the European squad by Slot due to Uefa regulations on non-homegrown players.
Liverpool return to action against Palace on Saturday before making the trip to Galatasaray the following Tuesday.
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