Liverpool duo Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni bonded by injury

Conor Bradley of Liverpool. Pic: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Liverpool stars Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni have bonded over their recoveries from long-term injury.

Teenage defender Leoni has been sidelined since rupturing his ACL on his debut last September while Bradley also suffered a serious knee injury in January.

The pair are both making progress towards first-team returns, and Leoni said in a video on AXA UK’s YouTube channel: “Since his injury we’ve been together a lot because of the rehab so we stayed at least every day together.

“We have a good relationship and we know each other more and more day by day.” 

Leoni appeared to be living up to the excitement surrounding his arrival from Parma when he pulled on a Liverpool shirt for the first time against Southampton last September but the 19-year-old landed awkwardly late in the game and his worst fears were soon confirmed.

His memories of the evening are not all negative, with the Italian saying: “It was my first game at Anfield with my fans, my team-mates.

“I played a good game and then I had that injury. Looking back, I can say just I’m glad to make my debut in front of my fans and, when I had that injury, I was with Conor, and I said to him, ‘This is ACL, 100 per cent’.

“And then the doctor came and I said the same to him, because I could feel the pain and even the sound of the injury.” Leoni opted not to go home to Italy for his rehab, staying in Liverpool to remain connected to his team-mates and improve his English.

“I stayed here since the first day until now because I wanted to do the rehab here with the physios,” he added. “For the relationship and for the English, it was the best thing to do in that period.” 

Boss Andoni Iraola is yet to work with Bradley in full training but he has already stated that he sees the Northern Irishman as his first-choice right-back in the long term.

“It’s obviously nice to hear the new manager coming in straightaway and saying nice things about you,” said Bradley.

“Obviously it’s been a difficult last seven, eight months, whatever it’s been, so for a new manager to come in and give you some praise is quite nice, but I’m just trying to get back fit now and get back and helping the boys.”