Image Credits: Imago Images
It has now been six long months since Giovanni Leoni’s season was cruelly derailed by that ACL rupture, suffered just as he was starting to make a real impression in Liverpool colours and with Italy’s youth setup. The timing could hardly have been worse for the young defender, who had put himself firmly on the radar with his early‑season performances and looked on course for a breakthrough year at both club and international level.
Instead of pushing for more minutes and building momentum, Leoni has spent the prime of the campaign in the gym and treatment room, ticking off small milestones rather than matchdays.
The lay‑off has also had huge international consequences for him, effectively ending any faint hopes he had of forcing his way into contention for the World Cup squad. Even if his recovery continues to progress well, the tournament will come far too soon for a player still working his way back from such a serious knee injury
However, it is not all bleak for the 19-year-old.
Dominic King, reporting in his Liverpool Confidential, has revealed that while it’s not expected that Leoni will be training on grass within the next month – he has impressed staff at the AXA Training Centre with his dedication to return to full fitness:
“Rupturing his cruciate ligament, then, was a horrendous turn of events, but Leoni has met this challenge head on. While it is too early to put a date on when he will return – there are no indications he will be back running on grass within the next month – Leoni has made a huge impression on those at Liverpool’s Kirkby base with his dedication to gym work.”
“He already has a strong command of English and his ability to mix in different social circles is endearing him to many.”
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