Giovanni Leoni’s long-awaited return to Liverpool training has been delayed by another month after Andoni Iraola revealed that the young defender’s knee injury was more serious and complicated than previously understood.
The 19-year-old Italian had been expected to resume training with the first-team squad during the October international break, having spent more than a year recovering from the devastating injury he suffered on his Liverpool debut.
However, Iraola confirmed at Thursday’s pre-Brentford press conference that the revised target is now November’s international break.
The Liverpool head coach explained that Leoni’s injury involved more than damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, with other structures around the knee also affected.
Speaking after discussions with the club’s medical department, Iraola described the original injury as particularly serious, stressing that it was “not just an ACL”.
The Spaniard acknowledged that the recovery was taking longer than Liverpool had hoped, admitting that the club had effectively lost a month against its original rehabilitation timetable.
Nevertheless, Iraola was careful to distinguish the revised schedule from a fresh injury setback, describing the situation as “not a setback, but a little bit of a delay”.
Liverpool’s priority is to ensure that Leoni is physically ready to return and can remain available once he completes his recovery, rather than risking further problems by rushing him back.
It represents another frustrating wait for a player whose Anfield career had barely begun before injury intervened.
Signed from Parma in August 2025, Leoni impressed during his first appearance against Southampton in the Carabao Cup on 23 September. His promising debut ended prematurely when he suffered the serious knee injury that would ultimately sideline him for more than a year.
The youngster has subsequently spent countless hours rehabilitating at the AXA Training Centre, working towards the opportunity to resume his Liverpool career.
In an earlier interview with the club, Leoni spoke openly about the emotional and physical challenges of his recovery and his determination to return stronger.
For now, that comeback will have to wait a little longer.
Crucially, the November target concerns a return to training with the squad, not competitive football. Leoni will still need to rebuild his match fitness before Iraola can realistically consider him for selection, and no date has been confirmed for his first appearance back.
Gakpo, Isak and Szoboszlai could return against Brentford
There was more encouraging news elsewhere in Liverpool’s injury update, with Iraola refusing to rule out Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak or Dominik Szoboszlai for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford.
All three missed last weekend’s defeat to Manchester City and Wednesday’s emphatic 6-3 Champions League victory over LASK.
Gakpo has been recovering from an ankle problem, Isak from a thigh injury and Szoboszlai from a minor hamstring issue.
Although none was ready to feature in Austria, Iraola confirmed that Liverpool would continue assessing their fitness ahead of the weekend, saying he would “leave the chance open this time”.
Their potential availability would be a welcome boost for a Liverpool side already facing a demanding sequence of fixtures.
Ryan Gravenberch will definitely miss the Brentford match through suspension following his dismissal against Manchester City, adding to Iraola’s midfield selection concerns.
The Liverpool boss also confirmed that further changes to his starting line-up are likely, with Villarreal visiting Anfield in the Champions League next Tuesday.
After making extensive changes for the victory in Austria, Iraola stressed the importance of utilising his entire squad during a period when matches are coming approximately every three days.
For Leoni, though, the immediate objective remains considerably simpler: completing the final stages of his rehabilitation and getting back onto the training pitch alongside his teammates.
After more than a year on the sidelines, Liverpool are understandably reluctant to take unnecessary risks with a player they hope will become an important part of their defence for years to come.