I was really hoping we would be seeing Giovanni Leoni back training with Liverpool by now.
It felt as though we were finally getting close to the moment when we could start looking forward to seeing him in a Liverpool shirt again, properly competing for a place in Andoni Iraola’s defence.
Unfortunately, that wait is going to be a little longer.
Iraola has confirmed that Leoni’s return to first-team training has been delayed until the next international break in November, meaning Liverpool have lost around a month compared with the original plan.
But the manager has also explained something important about the injury that has kept the Italian defender out for more than a year.
It was never simply an ACL injury.
And that helps explain why Liverpool are being so careful with his recovery.
“It was a bad injury”
Iraola was honest when discussing Leoni’s situation ahead of Liverpool’s next match.
He explained that, although he had not been at the club when the original injury happened, he had spoken to the medical department and learned that the damage extended beyond the ACL.
As he put it:
“Giovanni’s injury, I wasn’t here but talking to the medical department it wasn’t just an ACL. It was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL.”
That is a significant detail.
Leoni suffered the injury during his Liverpool debut against Southampton in September 2025, shortly after arriving from Parma.
For a young defender who had just taken such a huge step in his career, it was a devastating blow.
He has spent the past year working through his rehabilitation at the AXA Training Centre, trying to get himself back to the point where he can train with his teammates again.
And now, just when that moment appeared to be approaching, the timetable has shifted.
I can understand why Liverpool supporters will be disappointed. We have been waiting a long time to see what Leoni can bring to this team.
But knowing that the original injury involved more than the ACL makes the club’s cautious approach easier to understand.
We have lost a month, but rushing him would be worse
Iraola admitted that the delay was frustrating.
“It is probably now going to be the next international break when he returns to first team football, so we have lost one month in the process.”
That is not what anybody wanted to hear.
The plan had been for Leoni to rejoin group training during the recent international break. Instead, Liverpool have had to push that target back to November.
However, there is an important distinction here.
Iraola described it as a delay rather than a new setback.
That matters because we should not automatically assume Leoni has suffered another injury. The information available points to his rehabilitation taking longer than anticipated, rather than confirmation of a fresh injury.
The manager also made clear that Leoni needs to feel confident before returning and that the rehabilitation process must be handled carefully.
Liverpool want him to return in a good place and remain available once he is back.
That is exactly the right attitude.
There is no point saving a few weeks now if it means risking a much longer absence later.
Liverpool could have a very good defender on their hands
This is why I am still excited about Leoni.
We have not seen enough of him in a Liverpool shirt to make any grand claims, of course. His debut against Southampton was cut short by the injury, so we are still waiting to discover what he can offer over a sustained period.
But Liverpool clearly saw something they liked when they brought him to Anfield.
He is young, he has plenty of development ahead of him, and the opportunity to learn alongside Virgil van Dijk could be invaluable.
I have previously said that Liverpool could have a brilliant group of centre-backs once everyone is available.
Van Dijk brings experience and leadership. Jérémy Jacquet has made an encouraging start, while Ronald Araújo offers versatility and physicality. Joe Gomez provides another experienced option.
Leoni could eventually become an important part of that picture.
But first, he needs to get back on the training pitch.
And then he needs time to build up his fitness and get used to the demands of football again.
We should not expect him to return after a year out and immediately look like he has never been away.
I would rather Liverpool take their time
I know supporters are desperate to see Leoni back. I am too.
Every time we hear that he is getting closer to a return, it feels as though we are finally approaching the end of a very long wait.
So hearing that we have to wait another month is disappointing.
But I would rather Liverpool take their time than put unnecessary pressure on him.
This is a young player whose first season at Anfield was effectively taken away from him before it had even begun. He deserves the opportunity to return properly, without everybody demanding that he immediately prove himself.
And with Iraola continuing to develop Liverpool’s defensive options, there is no reason to gamble with Leoni’s long-term future.
The November international break is now the target for his return to first-team training. That is not a guarantee of an immediate competitive appearance, but it gives us something to look forward to.
The priority has to be getting him back once he is genuinely ready.
I still cannot wait to see him play
I have not changed my mind about Leoni.
I still think Liverpool could have a very good defender on their hands, and I am looking forward to seeing him get a proper opportunity at Anfield.
This delay is frustrating, particularly after such a long absence, but it is not a reason to write him off.
If anything, Iraola’s comments remind us that we should not underestimate the seriousness of what Leoni has been recovering from.
He has had to deal with much more than a straightforward ACL injury, and that makes patience even more important.
So, yes, I am disappointed that we have lost another month.
But I am not going to complain about Liverpool being careful with a young player’s future.
Get him fit. Get him confident. Then let him show us what he can do.
Giovanni Leoni has already waited long enough.
Let’s make sure that when he finally returns, he has the best possible chance of staying there.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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