Giovanni Leoni is finally closing in on full training with Liverpool, more than a year after a brutal ACL injury threatened to derail his young career.
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Liverpool FC Logo
Full name: Liverpool Football Club Nickname: The Reds Founded: 3 June 1892 Ground: Anfield Owner: Fenway Sports Group Chairman: Tom Werner Head coach: Andoni Iraola League: Premier League Season 2025-26: 5th rank Website: liverpoolfc.com Liverpool Football Club is in the… Read More about LIVERPOOL
Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni is set to return from injury and rejoin full training in the coming weeks, as per latest news. This closes a painful chapter that began on his very first appearance for the club.
Giovanni Leoni injury update
Giovanni Leoni’s story over the past 12 months has been one of setbacks and quiet resilience. The 19-year-old defender suffered a serious ACL injury during his Liverpool debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. That was a moment that should have marked the start of an exciting chapter but instead turned into a long and painful recovery.
As reported by The Athletic, Leoni is now expected to return to full team training within the next couple of weeks. He has spent the better part of a year working his way back from surgery. The timing could not be better for the Reds. The club saw the Italian youngster as a long term option in defence, and manager Andoni Iraola has since worked on a younger backline at Anfield. The Merseyside club have actually made a strong defensive start to this Premier League campaign. They have kept 3 clean sheets from their opening 5 matches and conceded only 4 goals.
Liverpool’s 2026/2027 form so far, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions PL W D L GF GA GD
Premier League 5 2 3 0 7 4 +3
Champions League 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1
EFL Cup 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
Leoni’s mental strength during his recovery
What stands out most during Leoni’s long absence is not just his physical recovery but his mindset throughout the entire ordeal. Rather than heading home to Italy for more familiar surroundings, the young defender chose to stay in Merseyside and complete his recovery at the club’s AXA Training Centre.
That decision says a lot about his mindset. Because a long injury layoff can be isolating for a teenager staying away from home. Staying close to the club allowed him to build stronger bonds with the team’s staff and coaches guiding his recovery.
He used the time productively, working on his English and learning what Liverpool expect from their players both on and off the football field. Staff close to the training setup have reportedly been impressed by his attitude, describing his dedication as exceptional for someone so young facing such a serious setback.
Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC
Iraola’s plans for Leoni
Despite the excitement building around his return, Liverpool are not planning to play Leoni in senior fixtures. His reintroduction is being carefully planned. The Athletic’s report suggests an upcoming U-21 EFL Trophy match away at Doncaster may come too early for him to feature.
Instead, a handful of U-21 games are likely to help him rebuild match readiness before any involvement with the first team. This is a sensible approach given the Reds’ demanding run of fixtures across multiple competitions in the weeks ahead.
Fortunately for Iraola, strong depth at the back means there is no pressure to rush things. With Jacquet impressing, Joe Gomez back for selection, and Araujo settling in well, Liverpool can afford patience with their young defensive talent. Looking further ahead, his importance will only grow, with both Virgil van Dijk and Gomez without contracts next season.