Arne Slot Reveals How Long Liverpool Will Be Without Injured Giovanni Leoni
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed that Giovanni Leoni faces approximately 12 months on the sidelines due to the knee problem he suffered during the Southampton match earlier this week.
The defender was making his debut for Liverpool after his £26 million ($34.8 million) transfer from Parma when he suffered what was subsequently diagnosed as an ACL tear. While the young player has maintained an optimistic outlook on social platforms, Slot indicates he's finding the situation difficult privately.
"He's struggling emotionally, naturally, because he's torn his ACL, which indicates he'll be sidelined for approximately 12 months," Slot explained during his Friday morning press briefing.
"At such a young age, arriving in a new nation, performing excellently in your debut match... it's extremely difficult to find any silver lining. There's never truly a bright side, but you always attempt to focus on the positives, and that would be his youth - he still has many years ahead once he recovers from such a devastating setback."
Leoni will shortly commence his rehabilitation journey alongside two teammates who have both experienced identical injuries. Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have both made remarkable comebacks after their respective ACL problems, and Slot believes the duo can provide inspiration for Leoni.
"We have excellent examples in Virgil and Joe, and there are numerous cases worldwide [of players returning stronger]," the Liverpool manager added. "That's why I mentioned the encouraging aspect is his age of 18, so there's plenty of time remaining.
"The crucial factor is the medical team who will perform the operation and, equally important, those who will guide his rehabilitation process. However, it's always beneficial when you can go through this surrounded by teammates who have experienced this journey. They can provide the proper motivation at key moments, and I believe our squad has already demonstrated tremendous support for him over the past couple of days, and they'll continue that throughout the coming year."
Federico Chiesa Poised to Enter Liverpool's Champions League Registration
Recently, UEFA announced modifications to European squad registration regulations that allow teams to substitute a player with a confirmed long-term injury in their rosters for the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League competitions.
Chelsea have already utilized this provision, substituting injured midfielder Dário Essugo with loaned player Facundo Buonanotte, who was unexpectedly excluded initially.
Leoni's setback creates an opportunity for winger Federico Chiesa, who was omitted from the initial registration but is now positioned to be included.
"We've examined this possibility," Slot commented regarding Chiesa's potential addition. "I cannot specify exactly where that procedure stands currently. That's not something I handle personally, but from what I understand, if a player suffers an injury lasting longer than two months, you can substitute him. That's the information I've received, now we must verify if that's accurate or not."