Liverpool’s worries this season can be traced back to the moment Giovanni Leoni picked up a serious knee injury during September’s Carabao Cup win over Southampton.
The Reds beat Saints to make it seven wins from their first seven matches of the season, but after losing Leoni they hit a major road bump.
Given Ibrahima Konate’s dreadful autumn form, Arne Slot would likely have given the young Italian a run in the Liverpool starting XI.
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Marc Guehi pictured smiling during Crystal Palace training (Credit: Getty Images/Warren Little). Ibrahima Konate lines up ahead of Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Visionhaus). Giovanni Leoni trains during a session with Liverpool (Credit: Getty Images/Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC). Nico Schlotterbeck gestures to the crowd during Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at Signal Iduna Park (Credit: Getty Images/Max Ellerbrake - firo sportphoto).
Photo Credit: Getty Image/Warren Little/Visionhaus/Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Max Ellerbrake- Firo sportphoto
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Leoni looked superb on his Liverpool debut, and while there’s no guarantee he would have sustained that form, his ACL injury is a real ‘what if’ moment of the Reds’ season.
Now three-and-a-half months into his lengthy recovery, Leoni has spoken out to give an update on how he is doing and provide some insight into his mindset during a hugely tough period.
Giovanni Leoni says ‘the hardest part is over’
As soon as Leoni hit the ground against Southampton, the injury looked like a bad one. Asked by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport whether he knew the severity of it straight away, the 19-year-old claimed that yes, he did.
“Yes, as soon as I hit the ground, I told Conor Bradley, my teammate: ‘I tore my cruciate ligament,'” Leoni said.
Giovanni Leoni passes the ball during Liverpool's Carabao Cup match against Southampton at Anfield.
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar Via Getty Images
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“It had never happened to me before, but it was a strange feeling, I thought, ‘That’s it, period.’ It was a huge, intense pain, the strongest I’ve ever felt in my life.
Questioned on how his rehab is going, Leoni thankfully claimed that ‘the hardest part is over,’ but would not be drawn on saying when he could return.
“No, the hardest part is over now,” he said when asked if his knee is still painful. “I’m doing rehab, swimming, and the gym. For a footballer, an injury like this can be the hardest moment of their career, but now I just want to train my mind to come back stronger than before. I think that’s the key: the mind can do most of the work.”
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The 17-year-old is a HUGE prospect
Austria's Ifeanyi Ndukwe celebrates after scoring during the FIFA U17 World Cup match against England (Credit: Getty Images/Jurij Kodrun - FIFA).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jurij Kodrun/FIFA
DOB: 03/03/2008
Position: Centre-Back
Favoured foot: Right/both
Height: 1.98m
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Leoni taking things day by day
As Leoni himself said, mental resilience can be key to getting back on the pitch quickly after such a devastating injury. Thankfully, the youngster appears to have a very good head on his shoulders.
It is also important that Leoni is not rushed back, waiting until he is fully recovered. Again, the centre-back seems to have the right idea when it comes to this aspect of his rehab, too.
“I can’t think long-term; I only think about training my mind,” he said. “I’m determined to look at the day ahead, do what makes me feel good, and focus on recovery. Setting long-term goals means having new problems if I slow down.”
Touching on his life away from the pitch, Leoni also revealed that he has struggled with dyslexia and shyness, but is learning to cope with both difficulties better.
Having seen so little of Liverpool’s new No. 15 since his summer arrival, it is interesting to get a glimpse into his mindset. It may still be a while until he’s back out on the pitch, but it is great to hear that Leoni is coming along fine.
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