Liverpool have faced a major setback just a day after their Carabao Cup win against Southampton, as Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Giovanni Leoni has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.
The 18-year-old Italian centre-back, signed from Parma for £26 million this summer, made his debut at Anfield during the third-round match. Unfortunately, his promising debut ended in misfortune when he was taken off on a stretcher after what initially seemed like a severe knock.
Romano shared on X: “Liverpool centre back Giovanni Leoni has torn his ACL and will be out for several months. After an impressive League Cup debut last night, which also pleased Arne Slot, it’s an unlucky injury for Leoni. He will aim to return before the season ends.”
Leoni’s injury is a big blow for Liverpool and manager Arne Slot, who is now short of natural centre-back options. Liverpool lost Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and missed out on signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi on Deadline Day. This makes Leoni’s absence especially problematic as the club competes on multiple fronts.
Liverpool had aimed to strengthen their defense during a busy transfer window, bringing in players like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, but Leoni was the only long-term central defensive signing. With him sidelined, the team will have to rely more heavily on Joe Gomez, Ibou Konate, and Virgil van Dijk to stay fit and perform consistently.
After the Southampton win, Slot made significant squad rotations, making 11 changes from the Everton match. Leoni’s first appearance was impressive before the unfortunate injury. Fellow Italian Federico Chiesa sent him a supportive message after the game, but ironically, Chiesa might benefit most from this, as he is expected to replace Leoni in the Champions League squad. New rules allow Liverpool to update their squad roster for the group stage in case of injuries like this.
Liverpool may need to rethink defensive strategies or explore internal options, such as Rhys Williams, who was on the bench, and shifting Andy Robertson to a central role, indicating changes in center-back choices for cup matches.
This setback comes amid another challenge, with Hugo Ekitike suspended for the same game, adding to Liverpool’s attacking issues.
Liverpool will face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon, but this injury has significantly altered their long-term plans at centre-back.
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