Liverpool’s long-term planning was dealt a cruel blow earlier this season, but one of our youngest summer signings has made it clear his story at Anfield is only just beginning.Giovanni Leoni has spoken openly about the moment his Liverpool debut was cut short, insisting the setback will ultimately make him stronger.The 19-year-old centre-back suffered a torn ACL during the Carabao Cup win over Southampton in September.Speaking via Liverpoolfc.com, the Italian described instantly knowing the seriousness of the injury.“As soon as I hit the ground I said to Conor Bradley, my teammate: ‘I’ve done my cruciate,’” Leoni admitted.“It was a great, strong pain, the strongest pain I have felt in life.”Leoni opens up on Liverpool injury setback(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)The former Parma defender explained how the mental challenge has been just as demanding as the physical recovery.“I can’t look at the long term, I only think about training my mind,” he said.“I am determined to look at the day itself, to do what makes me feel good and take care of the recovery.”Those comments echo the update he shared from his hospital bed shortly after surgery, when he wrote: “Surgery done. Thanks everyone for the messages. I’ll be back soon.”Arne Slot later confirmed the teenager “will be out for a year”, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead.Despite that, Leoni believes the experience will shape him positively.“I believe that life reserves certain things and destiny has led me to this,” he added. “To myself, I say: ‘It must have happened to make me stronger.’”Leoni explains why Liverpool still feels rightImage via @LFC on XThe Italy international also spoke warmly about his decision to join Liverpool and the environment he has found during his rehabilitation.“When a team like Liverpool calls you, you find it hard not to look at them with different eyes,” he said. “I had the support and affection of my teammates.”Leoni highlighted several senior figures who have already influenced him, naming Virgil van Dijk as an inspiration and praising Mo Salah’s obsessive professionalism.“Virgil, he has the charisma of a captain,” the teenager explained. “After the injury he called me immediately.”Encouragingly, renowned orthopaedic surgeon Vincenzo Costa has already said that “Leoni will absolutely return to his best,” adding that he can “certainly come back stronger than before.”For Liverpool, patience will be required. For Leoni, belief is already in place.Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobileThe post “The strongest pain of my life” – Liverpool signing opens up appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.