Chiesa Left Out of Liverpool's Champions League Squad
Federico Chiesa’s Liverpool story has hit another harsh twist. The Italian winger has been left out of Andoni Iraola’s Champions League squad for the upcoming league phase, a decision that underlines just how ruthless competition for places has become at Anfield.
Chiesa is not alone. Wataru Endo has also been omitted as Iraola finalised his European list, trimming a packed dressing room down to UEFA’s registration limits. For Chiesa, though, the snub cuts particularly deep. Europe was supposed to be his stage. For now, the curtain stays down.
Familiar frustration for the Italian
The disappointment has a familiar feel. Chiesa was also left off Liverpool’s Champions League list last season, forced to watch from the outside until a long-term injury to compatriot Giovanni Leoni opened a late route back into the European setup.
He did finally pull on the Liverpool shirt in the competition, coming off the bench in Italy in September 2024 after his £10m initial move from Juventus. That cameo looked like the start of something. Instead, continental minutes have remained rare, almost teasingly so.
Now, as Liverpool gear up for another demanding European campaign, Chiesa once again finds himself shut out of the elite stage he craves.
Iraola’s ruthless call
Iraola’s decision lays bare the reality of Liverpool’s squad rebuild. The club have reshaped heavily, stacking quality across the pitch. That depth brings power, but it also brings casualties when UEFA’s squad rules bite.
With Liverpool fighting on multiple fronts at home and abroad, Iraola has had to weigh versatility, fitness records and tactical balance. In that equation, Chiesa and Endo have fallen on the wrong side of the line, at least for this phase.
The message is clear: reputation and transfer fee are no guarantees. In this Liverpool squad, every spot has to be earned, and earned again.
Domestic stage or nothing
With Europe closed off for now, Chiesa’s season narrows sharply. His route back runs through Melwood’s training pitches and the domestic calendar. Every league and cup appearance becomes an audition, every training session a chance to remind Iraola what he can offer that others cannot.
Liverpool’s schedule will not ease. The fixtures pile up, and the stakes rise, with a marquee Champions League clash against Inter looming on January 19. Chiesa will not be on that particular team sheet, but the season is long and unforgiving. Injuries and form dips always come.
Last year, an injury to Leoni cracked the door open for him. If the squad is hit again, will Chiesa be ready to kick it wide this time?
