Two days after scoring what looked like a personal turning point against Crystal Palace, Federico Chiesa has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad to face Galatasaray
Liverpool returned to training at Kirkby on Monday morning with the sting of Saturday’s defeat to Crystal Palace still lingering and with a major selection talking point emerging ahead of their Champions League trip to Galatasaray.
The 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace was more than just a disappointing result. It was the kind of performance that raised uncomfortable questions about Liverpool’s attacking fluency, decision-making in the final third, and their ability to respond when the rhythm of the game turns against them. The reaction over the coming days was always going to be telling.
And then came the unexpected development: Federico Chiesa, fresh from scoring his second Premier League goal of the season in that same Palace defeat, has not been included in Liverpool’s 21-man squad for the Champions League clash in Istanbul.
Chiesa trained as normal on Monday and had only recently been registered in Liverpool’s Champions League squad following Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending ACL injury.
On paper, his goal against Palace felt like the kind of moment that could breathe new life into a stop-start Anfield career a well-timed strike that seemed to pave the way for a meaningful role in Europe. Instead, his omission has become the headline story on the eve of a tricky away fixture.
Sources have confirmed that his absence is not related to any injury, nor are there registration complications with UEFA. That leaves the reasoning squarely in the realm of tactical or managerial preference, and Arne Slot will be expected to address the issue at his pre-match press conference in Istanbul on Monday evening.
For Chiesa, this is another unexpected twist in a Liverpool chapter that has never quite found rhythm. Since joining from Juventus, the Italy international has struggled for sustained fitness and game time, collecting just 104 Premier League minutes across six appearances this season prior to his goal at the weekend.
His technical sharpness and direct running are qualities Liverpool have lacked at times, particularly when Mohamed Salah is isolated or the attack becomes predictable. That made his omission from the travelling squad all the more striking.
Training itself was a reflection of where Liverpool currently find themselves: serious, focused, but lacking the breezy energy of earlier in the season. Under clear skies at the AXA Training Centre, Slot gathered his players for a brief address before the session began.
All senior players were present with the exception of Giovanni Leoni, whose long-term injury leaves Liverpool with only three fit senior centre-backs. Jayden Danns was also missing after sustaining a knock while playing for the U21s over the weekend.
This was the final session before departure to Turkey, and the squad announcement that followed confirmed the absence of Chiesa:
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman
Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez, Bradley, Kerkez, Robertson, Frimpong
Midfielders: Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Mac Allister, Jones, Endo
Forwards: Salah, Isak, Ekitike, Gakpo, Ngumoha
