Giovanni Leoni set to miss Brentford trip as Liverpool training return slips

Giovanni Leoni is set to miss Liverpool’s October 17 trip to Brentford after his return to team training was pushed back by about a month. November’s international break is now the target for his return to the group, but there is still no date for his first competitive appearance back.

The 19-year-old has spent around a year recovering from the knee injury he suffered on his Liverpool debut, against Southampton in the Carabao Cup at Anfield in September 2025. The injury involved more than an ACL tear: Andoni Iraola said “a lot of things around the knee” were affected.

Liverpool had hoped Leoni would rejoin team training during the most recent international break. That plan did not happen, and the target has moved to the next break in November. Iraola described the change as a delay rather than a setback, saying the club wants Leoni to be confident and in a good place when he returns to the group.

That distinction is important for Liverpool. November is a training target, not a promised date for Leoni’s return to matches. Even if he joins the group then, the update does not establish when he will be ready to play.

For now, the defender will be absent against Brentford, who have started the league season unbeaten in six and sit fourth with 10 points. Liverpool are ninth on nine points from six matches, with two wins, three draws and one defeat. The standings give the October 17 trip added weight, but Leoni’s recovery remains the central concern: after a year of rehabilitation and a more extensive knee injury than an ACL tear alone, the club is prioritising a confident return to training over sticking to the original timetable.

The next marker is November’s international break. It will show whether Leoni can rejoin the group, but it is not yet a date for his competitive comeback.