Liverpool's Giovanni Leoni Faces Extended Recovery After Injury Setback

Giovanni Leoni's long-awaited return to Liverpool has hit a snag due to the severity of his knee injury. The news comes straight from head coach Andoni Iraola, who shared that the young defender's recovery is taking longer than initially planned. Leoni, who joined Liverpool for £26 million from Parma in 2025, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during his debut against Southampton over a year ago. Although he was anticipated to rejoin team training during the recent international break, that timeline has now been extended by about a month. “It is taking more time than we wanted,” Iraola stated. He added that the initial plan had Leoni gearing up to train with the squad during this break, but it now looks like he will be aiming for the next international break starting on November 9. Iraola revealed that the injury is more complicated than just an ACL tear, stating, “It was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL.” He emphasized the importance of a cautious approach to Leoni’s rehabilitation to ensure a successful return. “We want to make sure once he comes to the team, he stays there in a good place,” Iraola continued. While it's not a setback, the delay certainly adds to the challenges Liverpool faces as they navigate through the season. In addition to Leoni's situation, the Reds are also monitoring the fitness of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak, and Cody Gakpo, who are doubts for the upcoming Premier League clash against Brentford after sustaining injuries on international duty.