Liverpool confirm 22-man Champions League squad as Federico Chiesa absence explained

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Liverpool have confirmed a 22-man squad for the forthcoming new-look Champions League opening stage with Federico Chiesa the main absentee.

The six-time winners are aiming to improve on their run to the last 16 last season having qualified as Premier League winners.

The Reds open the league stage - where the 36 qualified teams play eight different opponents - with a home game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, September 17.

Arne Slot's side also host Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Qarabag and travel to Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Inter Milan and Marseille, with the first stage ending in late January.

READ MORE:Mohamed Salah issues remarkable response after 'disrespecting' Liverpool transfer claimREAD MORE:Federico Chiesa absence explained as 18-year-old Liverpool defender closes on debut

Each team can name a maximum of 25 players in their main 'List A' squad, which includes a minimum of eight places reserved exclusively for what UEFA deems as locally-trained or homegrown players - players trained by their club or another club in the same national association for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.

Liverpool have chosen a squad of 22 players, which includes new signings Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman.

But with only 17 non-homegrown players allowed on the list, Chiesa has failed to make the cut for the opening stage of the competition.

Rio Ngumoha is regarded as not homegrown having only signed for Liverpool last year.

Also not in the list are Trey Nyoni and Jayden Danns, who featured in the Champions League last season and while eligible can instead be named in 'List B' due to their ages and club-trained status.

Clubs can register an unlimited number of players on 'List B' during the season and update before each fixture.

Explaining the requirements, UEFA’s regulations state: “A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.

“Players aged 16 may be registered on List B if they have been registered with the participating club for the previous two years without interruption.”

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Should Liverpool qualify for the knockout stages - the top eight go direct to the round of 16 while those finishing between ninth and 24th must negotiate a play-off - they will be allowed to change their 'List A' with three new eligible players while keeping to the 25-man limit.

LIVERPOOL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SQUAD LIST A: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Bradley, Leoni, Robertson, Frimpong, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Gravenberch, Isak, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike, Ngumoha.

LIST B (includes): Nyoni, Danns.