Italy fans react to shock Giovanni Leoni developments away from Liverpool
Liverpool star Giovanni Leoni has had a dream few months.
Leoni signed for Liverpool in a £26million deal earlier this summer, and is expected to play a backup role behind the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool failed with their pursuit of Marc Guehi on deadline day, and that could help the Italian to pick up more gametime.
The new Liverpool man was then selected for the Italy squad for the first time, to cap off a wonderful period in his career.
Leoni fails to play a single minute away from Liverpool
Many Italian observers, including Andrea Pirlo, love the new Liverpool star, but it seems that Gennaro Gattuso does not rate him as highly.
Although he was called up to the squad, the 18-year-old did not feature for a single minute in Italy’s 5-0 win over Estonia on 5 September or the dramatic 5-4 win over Israel on Monday.
Leoni was not even selected for the matchday squad, in a bitterly disappointing shock for the former Parma defender after such an exciting period in his life.
To call him up and then not play him at all seems like a waste of everybody’s time.
It may be good for him to gain the experience of going away with the senior professionals, but he should have featured for a little bit, at the very least.
Liverpool will be happy that Leoni did not play, but Italy fans are not
All involved with the Reds will be happy that Leoni did not get onto the pitch.
While it may have been a nice personal moment for him, in terms of making his debut for his country, the Merseysiders will need him to stay fit in the next few months.
Therefore, the fewer matches he plays away from L4, the better, as far as they are concerned.
However, Italian fans do not feel the same way, with many questioning why Leoni was not playing in the narrow victory.
One supporter said, “Gianluca Mancini is the worst defender ever seen in the national team, put Leoni,” and tagged an account with the Gattuso name.
Another X user labelled Gattuso as a “mediocre coach”, asking where Leoni and Francesco Pio Esposito were.
Another said: “Let’s hope that Leoni is strong; otherwise, we really have a lot of problems.”
One supporter said: “I may be an extremist, but I would put Calafiori and Leoni at the centre of the project.”
Another said: “I didn’t understand the call-up, for example, of Leoni. What are we calling them up for if they don’t then take the field? We need fresh people in defence. We have a poor defence.”
Italian fans may get their wish sooner rather than later, if Leoni stars for the Reds in the near future, surely Gattuso will have no choice but to give him a chance in the backline.
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