Federico Chiesa will play no part in Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray in Istanbul on Tuesday evening and Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has explained why.
Chiesa, fresh from scoring at Selhurst Park at the weekend, has not been included in the 21-player travelling party a decision that has surprised supporters
The 27-year-old Italy international trained with his teammates on Monday morning at the AXA Training Centre, appearing sharp during the open session. Yet just hours later, when Liverpool boarded their flight to Turkey, Chiesa was not among them.
Their were reports that the omission was a voluntary call by Arne Slot, not one forced by fitness issues, despite Chiesa having recently been included into Liverpool’s European roster following Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending ACL injury.
Chiesa’s absence feels even more striking in light of his recent performances. In Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, he came off the bench in the 74th minute to replace Florian Wirtz. Within minutes, he had made his mark, equalising late on to give Liverpool hope of salvaging a point.
What happened next summed up Chiesa’s competitive edge. Instead of heading towards the away end to celebrate, he grabbed the ball out of the net and sprinted back to the centre circle, gesturing to teammates to restart quickly. It was a small moment, but a telling one the behaviour of a player unwilling to settle for a draw, determined to push his side towards victory much reminiscent to his song “He came to win”
As fate would have it, Palace struck again deep into stoppage time to snatch all three points. But Chiesa’s reaction illustrated the mentality that has made him a valuable figure in the squad: sharp, intense, and relentlessly ambitious.
His contributions have not been isolated to that game. Just four days earlier, in the League Cup against Southampton, Chiesa delivered two assists in a 2-1 win, demonstrating his ability to create as well as finish. Across all competitions so far this season, Chiesa has six appearances, two goals, and two assists solid returns given that many of those appearances have been off the bench.
Speaking about Chiesa’s omission, Arne Slot offered a simple explanation.
“He got a little niggle I think is the word, in the last game against Palace, he tried it, but he couldn’t end the session, so we decided not to take him because in a few days it is Chelsea.”
has already had his fair share of injury problems earlier in his career, is a player Liverpool are eager not to overuse.
Still, the decision inevitably fuels debate. Given his sharpness against Palace, some expected him to play a decisive role off the bench in Istanbul, especially in what promises to be a fiery, finely balanced match. Slot’s Liverpool have regularly found themselves in close contests this season, with late goals often proving crucial. Chiesa’s impact profile fast, direct, decisive seems tailor made for such scenarios.
On paper, Galatasaray away looks like the kind of fixture where Chiesa’s qualities could have been useful. The Turkish champions are notoriously aggressive at home, encouraged by a raucous crowd that can swing matches with its intensity. Liverpool are likely to face spells of defensive pressure, but they will also find space on the counter late in the game.
Chiesa’s ability to exploit broken play, carry the ball forward at pace, and finish clinically makes him a valuable late-game option. Even with Hugo Ekitike available again following his domestic suspension, Slot will now rely on a slightly reduced set of attacking alternatives from the bench.
For Chiesa, meanwhile, the situation is another reminder of the competitive depth within Liverpool’s squad. He has delivered when called upon, but to become a consistent fixture in high-stakes matches, he may need to not only stay fit but also edge ahead tactically and structurally in Slot’s plans.
For now, Liverpool will head into the cauldron of Istanbul without him. His absence may not define the match, but it will certainly be felt if, as so often this season, the game hangs on fine margins in the final quarter of an hour.
