Liverpool's promising young defender, Giovanni Leoni, is set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The injury occurred during his debut for the club in a Carabao Cup match against Southampton on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Italian center-back, who joined Liverpool from Parma this summer for £26 million, played 81 minutes before being forced off the field. Leoni landed awkwardly following a challenge near the touchline, and was visibly in pain as he was stretchered off the field. Initial concerns were immediately raised about the severity of the injury, and those fears have now been confirmed.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed the news at a press conference on Friday, stating that Leoni will be sidelined for approximately a year. Slot expressed his disappointment for the young player, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation. "He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for around a year," Slot said. "Being so young, coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game … it's very hard to take the positive side". Slot added, "There's never a positive side but he is still so young so he has many years to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that".

Leoni's injury leaves Liverpool with only three recognized center-backs: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez. When questioned about the possibility of Liverpool making another move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi in January, Slot remained noncommittal. Liverpool reportedly failed to sign Guehi on deadline day after Palace chair Steve Parish aborted the transfer. Slot stated that his decision would depend on further injuries and opportunities in the transfer market. "But I would not prefer to go to 24, 25 players," he added.

Despite the setback, Leoni has shown resilience, thanking fans for their support in a social media post. Slot also noted that both Van Dijk and Gomez have successfully recovered from similar injuries at Liverpool, offering hope and encouragement for Leoni's rehabilitation. "We have some examples with Virgil and Joe and a lot example all over the world [of players coming back better]", Slot said. He also emphasized the importance of support from the team and medical staff during Leoni's recovery. "Our players have shown plenty of compassion for him and they will not stop," he affirmed.

In light of Leoni's injury, Liverpool is reportedly considering adding Federico Chiesa to their Champions League squad. Chiesa, who provided assists for both goals against Southampton, was initially left out of the squad but may now fill the void left by Leoni. Slot confirmed that the club is exploring this option. "If I am informed correctly, if a player has a longer than two-month injury you are allowed to replace him,” Slot stated.

The injury is a significant blow for both Leoni and Liverpool, but the club is committed to supporting the young defender through his recovery process.