Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni has revealed he can now "see the light at the end of the tunnel" after suffering a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury last September.

"The night I got injured, I was pretty sure of my judgment," Leoni recalled. "I was close to Conor Bradley at the time and I told him: 'This is definitely an ACL, 100% sure.' It was the strongest pain I've ever felt in my life."

The night the Liverpool defender was referring to was September 23, 2025. Under the lights of Anfield, Leoni played for nearly 80 minutes, which should have been an unforgettable moment after he joined the Reds – not only his debut after transferring from Serie A Parma more than a month earlier, but also a night to showcase his ball-carrying and defensive abilities, qualities that led the club to invest in this young talent last summer. In that Carabao Cup third-round match, Liverpool eliminated Southampton, and the victory seemed to herald a perfect debut. However, in an instant, everything changed.

While challenging for the ball on the right side of the Anfield Road end, Leoni landed awkwardly and fell near the sideline, unable to get up. It was quickly evident he was in excruciating pain. Subsequent scans confirmed his immediate self-diagnosis: an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which would sideline him for the next year.

"I don't want to go back to that night," the No. 15 told Liverpoolfc.com, understandably. But since that night, he has chosen to turn the experience into a positive force. "Of course, when I got injured in my debut, I asked myself: 'Why me?' But I don't think that's the best way to ask myself," Leoni said. "So I tried to change my mindset and tell myself: 'Okay, this happened to me, I have to do something to be better than before.' For me, this is the best way."

He continued: "I understood many things during this time. I tried to stay positive every day, even when I had bad days, because the first few months were not easy. Many of your daily habits have to change. At first, there were more bad days than good days. Now it's different, of course, but at the beginning, it was hard mentally and physically. After three or four months, the mental challenge was greater than the physical one, because you could run, you could walk again, run, lift weights, the physical aspect became easier. But mentally, it was a difficult journey. But for me, if you approach everything with a good mindset, you can understand and become stronger than before. I try to see it as an opportunity to improve."

Leoni delivered these words in fluent, thoughtful English, despite his humble assessment of his language skills. The long rehabilitation from his ACL injury has, paradoxically, provided a bittersweet byproduct – an accelerated opportunity to learn English. Extended time at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre, coupled with three two-hour English lessons each week, has enabled Leoni to reach his current level of fluent communication. "I think when you are in a different country, you have to speak that language to do better on the field and in training," he said. "Now I can say that everything is getting better because I can speak English and communicate with all my teammates."

Off the pitch, he has made Liverpool his home and formed friendships with his teammates. When asked about close teammates, he said: "To be fair, everyone. But I can say that now I spend a lot of time with Hugo Ekitiké, Stefan Bajcetic, Conor – because we have done some rehab together."

Van Dijk has been a natural mentor and confidant for Leoni from the initial hours after his injury. The Liverpool captain, having gone through his own long ACL rehabilitation in the 2020-21 season, could empathize and encourage his young teammate. "He helped me a lot," Leoni said.

When speaking about the support he has received from Reds fans over the past 12 months, Leoni's face lit up. "They have always been with me," the 19-year-old said with a smile. "I can feel that we are going through this rehabilitation journey together, because even if they haven't seen me, I have received many messages on social media. I couldn't have gotten to where I am now without them. So, I am really grateful. I didn't expect so much support, but as I said, I'm really happy to have them, and I can't wait to have many good days with them, win together, and do many good things together."

Leoni stated that he has reached a stage in his rehabilitation where he can "see the light at the end of the tunnel." This interview took place during the final days of Liverpool's recent pre-season tour of the United States, where the Italian continued his running and ball-work drills, maintaining his rehabilitation plan. The imaginary scenarios that sustained him during the difficult periods of recovery have now become achievable, real goals. "Now I feel really good," Leoni reported. "After 10 months, I'm back on the pitch alone. I feel good, and I've felt really good on the pitch in recent weeks. My knee looks good and feels good, so I can't wait to get back with the team as soon as possible, and then play in front of the fans again. Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I haven't trained with the team yet, but I think I'll be back with the squad soon. Then we'll see how the knee reacts, and how I feel when I play again."

When asked about the prospect of playing again, putting on his boots, and stepping onto the pitch to compete, Leoni gave the most instinctive response. When asked if he imagines that feeling every day, he replied: "From the moment I got injured, I have been dreaming of that day. I can't wait to get back in front of the fans. The excitement will grow stronger and stronger over the next two months, because as I said, I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, now I feel more strongly that my return is getting closer. I'm really happy. After so many months, and after suffering this kind of injury, of course I'll be a little nervous, because I haven't played football for about a year. Getting back in front of everyone, playing in front of the world, I'll be a little nervous, but that nervousness will help me, it's more excitement than nervousness."

Although Leoni's Liverpool debut was under Slot, his second appearance in a Reds shirt will likely be under Iraola's guidance. The player and the new head coach have already discussed future possibilities. "I spoke with him, and of course we talked about the injury and rehabilitation," Leoni said. "We also did some tactical analysis together to understand the way he wants to play. He's a very good coach, but before that, he's a very good person. You can talk to him and understand how he wants to play. I can't wait to play under him."

That night last September, Leoni's Liverpool career trajectory changed dramatically. But as he is about to restart this story, his ambition remains unchanged. "The goal is always the same as last year," the admirable youngster concluded. "The key is that I want to come back, win as many games as possible, and win as many trophies as possible. The goal is more team-oriented than individual."

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