Liverpool's Leoni sidelined for months after debut injury
18-year-old defender suffers suspected ACL injury on debut in Carabao Cup win over Southampton; tests indicate ACL damage.
Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni is expected to miss months after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut for the club in Tuesday's Carabao Cup win over Southampton.
The 18-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Parma in August for £26 million plus add-ons, started and played 81 minutes of the 2-1 victory before leaving the field.
Medical assessments on his left knee have indicated ACL damage, a diagnosis likely to rule the teenager out for most or all of the season. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said after the match that Leoni's departure came after a sudden development and that the player was down because it didn’t feel good immediately.
The injury leaves Slot with just three recognised centre-backs available — Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez — as the club considers options ahead of upcoming fixtures. Liverpool can replace Leoni in their Champions League squad, with forward Federico Chiesa among the contenders for inclusion.
The Reds have begun the season strongly, winning all five of their Premier League matches while defending the title.