Federico Chiesa named in Liverpool’s 24-man Premier League squad after Champions League snub
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Federico Chiesa, the Italian winger who joined Liverpool from Juventus in August 2024 for a reported £10 million plus £2.5 million in add-ons, has been named in Liverpool's 24-man Premier League squad but was notably left out of the club's 22-man Champions League squad for the current season.
Chiesa's first year at Liverpool was challenging, as he struggled for game time under manager Arne Slot, playing only 104 minutes in the Premier League during the previous season. This lack of playing time fueled speculation about a summer departure, which intensified when he missed the pre-season tour due to a minor injury. However, Chiesa chose to stay and made an immediate impact by scoring a late winning goal off the bench against Bournemouth in the Premier League's opening match.
Despite this positive start, Chiesa was excluded from the Champions League squad in favor of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who has impressed by scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Newcastle. Manager Arne Slot acknowledged the difficulty of this decision in media comments, stating, "One of the hardest things a coach has to do. I explained to him why we made this choice. Of course, he wasn't happy, but I think he understood my reasoning."
Chiesa's exclusion highlights increased competition for attacking positions at Liverpool following new signings and the rise of young talent like Ngumoha. Though he has made limited appearances, including scoring his first Premier League goal in August 2025, Chiesa remains part of Liverpool's Premier League squad and can still contribute domestically.
Overall, while Federico Chiesa faces challenges in securing more consistent minutes at Liverpool, particularly in European competition, the club and manager appear to value balancing experience with emerging talent in their squad selection for the 2025-26 season.
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