'Exceptional' Liverpool star to miss Galatasaray clash after latest Arne Slot snubbing - journalist

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Liverpool will take a 21-man squad to Istanbul for their second game in the Champions League.The Reds will be eager to bounce back from their loss to Crystal Palace at the weekend when they take on Galatasaray away from home.This fixture is certainly not for the faint-hearted, with this atmosphere one of the most hostile in Europe, hence why it will be far from light work.Arne Slot will have some big changes to make to his squad after they tasted defeat for the first time this season, especially as their performance was far from good enough.And it appears the Dutchman has already made his first big call, with one player missing out altogether after not travelling with the team.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesFederico Chiesa left out of Liverpool’s squad to face GalatasarayLiverpool had many things to think about over the last week, with one being who they would choose to add into their Champions League squad.Due to Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury, the Reds were forced to update their squad, with Federico Chiesa coming in to replace his fellow countryman.This came after he was left out of the original team by Slot, with nobody really knowing why, although his addition felt like the right one to make at the time.However, despite being given another chance, Chiesa will not play against Galatasaray after not being included in the travelling 21-man squad.Many would have assumed this was due to an injury the Italian has sustained, although according to journalist James Pearce, this is not the case.READ MORE: Galatasaray manager suggests whether Victor Osimhen will play against Liverpool after fitness strugglesUnderstand it’s a selection decision with Chiesa, no fitness issues and he’s registered to play having replaced the injured Leoni in the Reds’ CL squad last Friday.— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) September 29, 2025 View Tweet He states that it was purely a selection decision with the winger instead of a fitness issue or even a late registration issue, making his exclusion very bizarre.Federico Chiesa has been on fire for LiverpoolAnother reason why leaving him out feels very strange is because he has been on fire for Liverpool recently, with the winger having three goal involvements in his last two games.He shone against Southampton in the week and was labelled as ‘exceptional’ by former captain Reds captain Jamie Redknapp, before scoring against Palace which looked like it had earned them a point.However, Slot appears to have snubbed him yet again, with this one feeling the cruelest of them all as fans have been left bewildered.Chiesa now must continue to work hard and prove that he is deserving of a spot in the team, although in all honesty, there is not a lot more he can do.