Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published on Saturday, 03 January 2026, 15:43 / Updated on Saturday, 03 January 2026 15:47
Giovanni Leoni (19 years old) was impressed by Cristi Chivu in the three months he coached at Parma. The central defender, who also left in the summer for 31 million euros to Liverpool, spoke in an interview in Gazzetta dello Sport about the relationship with the current coach of Inter.
Giovanni Leoni got more minutes at Parma after Fabio Pecchia was replaced on February 18, 2025 by Cristi Chivu. He started in 8 of the 11 games in which the giallo coach called on his services (one game he remained on the bench, and in the other he was injured).
Liverpool are monitoring six players to find a replacement for Giovanni Leoni // PHOTO: Getty Images
His developments in the team on “Ennio Tardini” greatly increased his share, so he was bought in the summer by Liverpool. However, the U19 international stopper was very unlucky in England: he didn't even get to make his debut in the Premier League, because he was seriously injured, suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament, in the League Cup match against Southampton on September 23.
Giovanni Leoni: “Chivu is excellent at building relationships with the players, talks often, laughs and jokes”
In a long period of recovery after knee surgery, Leoni spoke about the experience in Parma and the previous stages in Italy, but also about his life in Liverpool, in an interview published by gazzetta.it.
The 19-year-old centre-back said of Chivu: “When he arrived at Parma in February we were in a bad situation. He is excellent at building bonds with players, talks often, laughs and jokes.
He makes you give 200 percent in training, especially because you know he will always be there. Even if you are wrong, he will never publicly criticize you.”
When Liverpool are looking for you, it's hard to say no. I have to say that every day I think the Premier League was the best choice. I had the support and affection of my teammates. On TV, you wonder what they're going to be like, but then you get to know them and discover they're normal people
– Giovanni LeoniLiverpool centre-back
Salah is incredible in the way he prepares. He's always among the first at training, he recovers, he's obsessed!”
Leoni also told what he found in the English champion: “Technically speaking, they are almost all monsters. They never miss a pass by an inch, and if they do, they apologize.
Virgil van Dijk is the player I admire. Szoboszlai has a style of football that we have never seen before. And Salah is incredible in the way he prepares his body during the week. He's always among the first to arrive, he recovers, he's obsessed.
Van Dijk and Salah // photo: Imago Images
Who talks the most in the locker room? Virgil. He also has the charisma of a captain. After the accident, he called me immediately. I had the same operation as him and now we often talk about it.”
“This is the key. The mind can do most of the work, that's why I've been working with a mental coach for two years”
The Liverpool stopper revealed how the recovery is going: “For a footballer, an injury like this can be the hardest moment of his career, but now I just want to train my mind to come back stronger than I was before.
I think this is the key aspect. The mind can do most of the work. Yes, for two years I have been working once a week with a mental coach, Cristian Viola.
Giovanni Leoni / Photo: Imago
Every Thursday I go to see him or we talk on the phone. We evaluate the objectives, work on breathing and the mental concentration necessary for the match”.
I just want to get back on the pitch to my best form. The dream is still there and actually the injury made me realize how much I love this sport. I can feel it, life still has so much to offer!
– Giovanni LeoniLiverpool centre-back
