Iraola explains Leoni injury and return timeline

Leoni targeting November international break return after ACL surgery; Iraola says rehabilitation progressing but requires careful management.

Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool's 19-year-old Italian defender signed from Parma for €29m in summer 2025, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee during a League Cup debut against Southampton on 23 September 2025. Manager Andoni Iraola provided an update in a press conference, revealing the recovery has taken longer than initially planned. The club had hoped to reintegrate Leoni into squad training during the recent international break but now expects this to happen at the next pause in November. Iraola emphasised the need for careful rehabilitation to ensure the player can sustain his return once back in the squad.