Liverpool fans stunned by ‘flawless’ Giovanni Leoni on debut as remarkable stats emerge
Liverpool fans have been blown away by how impressive new defensive signing Giovanni Leoni on his debut against Southampton before his nasty-looking injury brought it to a premature end.
The summer transfer window saw Liverpool sign Giovanni Leoni ahead of Newcastle United, and it appears as though they’ve signed a future superstar.
It was a summer of incredible moves from the Reds, with Jurgen Klopp now giving Florian Wirtz advice on how to succeed in the Premier League after his controversial start to life in England.
The window may be closed, but that doesn’t mean the Anfield hierarchy are standing still, with reports suggesting Liverpool plan to renew Ryan Gravenberch’s contract after his rise to prominence over the last year.
Liverpool fans react to Giovanni Leoni’s debut
From kickoff, Leoni looked a step ahead of the Southampton players on his debut, and fans have been more than appreciative of the young star’s talents.
One fan said: “I’m here to watch Leoni first and Liverpool second.”
Another Liverpool fan is looking to the future, saying: “Leoni is going to be some player.”
Leoni seems to be able to read danger as it develops with a fan saying: “Really like the look of Leoni already. Very composed, and secures the danger position before the attackers make the move… Impressed in the opening 25 minutes.”
With Federico Chiesa also on the field, he and Leoni represented Italy nicely at Anfield with the former grabbing an assist for Alexander Isak’s maiden Liverpool goal.
One fan seems to have given a nod to Virgil van Dijk and his borderline perfectionism at centre-half, saying: “Leoni has been flawless. He might be a perfectionist, and we have had good experiences with one for years.”
Stats show how good Leoni is already
At 18, Leoni is already a wonderful player. He will develop even more rapidly training alongside arguably the greatest Premier League centre back of all time in Virgil van Dijk.
Although he was only on the field for 81 minutes before he got injured, the data from his Liverpool debut suggest the teenager is already good enough to play regularly in the Premier League.
| Giovanni Leoni’s debut by numbers |
| 81 minutes played |
| 102 touches |
| 97% pass completion (88/91) |
| 3/3 aerial duels won |
| 6 clearances |
| 3 interceptions |
Truthfully, his only real mistake was a foul, but even then, it was an arguable decision. It’s quite easy to understand why supporters are so impressed, and hopefully, the nasty injury he picked up is not as bad as it looked.