Liverpool's Leoni out for around a year with ACL tear

Giovanni Leoni will be sidelined for around a year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in Liverpool's 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton on Tuesday, manager Arne Slot said on Friday. The 18-year-old centreback, signed from Parma in August for about 26 million pounds, was stretchered off after 81 minutes of his first start for the club and has since undergone scans that confirmed the injury, Slot said.

Leoni had produced an impressive debut before the injury, starting alongside Federico Chiesa and drawing praise for his composure and defensive work. Match data cited by the club showed he completed the vast majority of his passes and made several clearances and interceptions. He posted a message of gratitude to supporters on social media after the incident. Chiesa, who set up both goals in the match, expressed his sympathy for his compatriot and wished him a full recovery, calling Leoni "a fantastic guy and a great footballer."

Slot described Leoni's situation candidly in Friday's news conference. "He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL, which means he will be out for around a year," the manager said, adding that the club...