Liverpool’s newest signing Giovanni Leoni had what should have been a dream debut cut short in heart-rending fashion.
In the League Cup clash against Southampton, the 18-year-old Italian looked confident and composed, only to suffer a knee injury that forced him off on a stretcher.
Speculation is now rife about the true severity of his damage. Among those watching closely are physios and analysts who believe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage is a real possibility.
Leoni entered the match with considerable expectation, having joined Liverpool from Parma in the summer for a reported £26 million. In his first appearance, he looked assured, defending with maturity beyond his years, until disaster struck.
He collided awkwardly near the touchline, his knee twisting unnaturally. Within moments, medical staff arrived, he was treated on the pitch, visibly uncomfortable, before being stretchered off.
Has Giovanni Leoni suffered an ACL injury?
Observers and medical analysts immediately suspected a serious knee injury.
The physio known as Physio Scout, using X/Twitter analysis, noted signs of valgus collapse, where the knee buckles inward, and the pivoting movement reportedly involved. These are classic indicators of possible ACL damage.
Giovanni Leoni had to come off with a knee injury in the second half of the Liverpool vs. Southampton clash.
Extremely limited video makes this harder to judge, but I’d be worried that his knee falls into a valgus position in this screenshot.
Non-contact nature, knee… pic.twitter.com/1QACs7CJ0T
— Physio Scout | Football Injury Analysis (@physioscout) September 23, 2025
Still, other scenarios remain on the table. The physio analysis suggests that it might be a patella dislocation, typically a 3–6 week recovery, in a best-case scenario. Or it could involve meniscus injury, 3–4 months, or even just a bone bruise, shorter layoff. The uncertainty will only be clarified after imaging.
Following the injury, Liverpool boss Arne Slot provided the update on the injury suffered by the young defender.
He said, as reported by Ben Jacobs:
“Of course, he is down because for him it didn’t feel good immediately, but this is something now we…
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