Leoni (knee) is now expected to resume full team training during the next international break after his recovery from a serious knee injury took longer than initially anticipated, according to coach Andoni Iraola. "It's taking more time than we wanted. The planning was to train with the team in this past international break [but] probably it's going to be in the next international break, so we've lost one month in the process. Giovanni's injury, I wasn't here but talking to the medical department, it was not just an ACL - it was a bad injury, a lot of things around the knee were involved apart from the ACL. He has to be very confident, the rehab process has to be very careful with him and we want to make sure once he comes to the team, he stays there in a good place. It's true that we've had, not a setback, but a little bit of a delay, if you want. The plan now is he starts in the next break. It's not that far but it's a little bit later than we expected, yes."
Analysis:Leoni has been sidelined for over 12 months since suffering a serious knee injury involving an ACL tear and additional damage to surrounding structures during his Liverpool debut against Southampton. The defender was initially expected to rejoin team training during the most recent international break, but his rehabilitation has progressed approximately one month behind schedule. Manager Iraola emphasized that the delay does not represent a new setback, explaining that the complexity of the original injury requires a particularly cautious approach to ensure Leoni is physically and mentally ready before returning. The young center-back will likely need a gradual reintegration into training and potentially appearances with the U21 side before becoming an option for the senior squad. With Jeremy Jacquet, Joe Gomez and Ronald Araujo available in central defense, Liverpool can afford to prioritize Leoni's long-term recovery rather than rush him back into competitive action.
