Liverpool have confirmed their 22-man squad for the first stage of the Champions League.
UEFA’s revamped format sees 36 clubs enter the league phase, where each side faces eight different opponents. For Liverpool that begins with a heavyweight clash against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, September 17.
Arne Slot’s team will also host Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Qarabag, while travelling to Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Inter Milan and Marseille.
The phase runs until late January, after which the top eight clubs progress directly to the round of 16, while those between ninth and 24th face a play-off.
UEFA rules allow for a maximum of 25 players on each club’s ‘List A’, which must include at least eight locally-trained players, leaving space for no more than 17 non-homegrown names.
Liverpool have opted to register 22 players, with new arrivals Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman all included.
Unfortunately, the homegrown quota has had direct consequences for Federico Chiesa, who has been left out of the squad.
The omission is surprising given Chiesa’s start to the season. After a stop-start first campaign at Anfield, disrupted by injuries and limited by the dominance of Mohamed Salah in his favoured right position, the Italian international looked set to re-establish himself.
He made his first Premier League start in August and scored in the 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on the opening weekend, a reminder of his quality and determination to succeed in England. It was a moment that seemed to symbolise a fresh beginning after a difficult 2024/25.
Chiesa had been linked with a return to Serie A during the summer window, but publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool after his opening-day goal.
Instead, it is Rio Ngumoha who has been included. The 17-year-old has enjoyed a breakout summer under Slot, scoring three times in pre-season before announcing himself to the Premier League with a dramatic 100th-minute winner against Newcastle last month. That strike made him the youngest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history, just days before his 17th birthday.
Ngumoha’s rapid progression has convinced Slot and his staff to view him as a genuine first-team option, particularly as cover for Cody Gakpo on the left side of the attack. His inclusion highlights the club’s willingness to trust in youth as well as their recognition of his immediate impact.
Also not included in ‘List A’ are Trey Nyoni and Jayden Danns, but their absence is procedural rather than significant. Both qualify for UEFA’s ‘List B’, which is reserved for under-21 players trained at the club. Clubs can register an unlimited number of players on this list, and update it before each matchday.
Should Liverpool qualify for the knockout stages, they will be permitted to make up to three changes to their squad before the round of 16. That leaves open the possibility of Chiesa returning to European action in the second half of the season, depending on fitness, form and squad requirements.
While Chiesa has shown glimpses of why he was signed, his injury record and positional overlap with Salah have weakened his case. In contrast, Ngumoha’s emergence has given Slot a fresh attacking option and further strengthened Liverpool’s commitment to building for the future.
The Champions League campaign begins after the two week international break. With Anfield braced for the visit of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid soon after, Slot’s squad will be tested early, and Chiesa — watching from the sidelines — will be desperate for another chance to prove his value when the opportunity arises.
Liverpool’s 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: Nyoni, Danns.
