Federico Chiesa Omitted from Liverpool's Champions League Squad

Federico Chiesa has been dealt another brutal Champions League setback, with the Italian winger left out of Liverpool’s squad for the upcoming league phase of the competition.

Manager Andoni Iraola has chosen to omit Chiesa from his European list, with Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo also excluded as Liverpool locked in their roster for the campaign. For Chiesa, it is a familiar and bitter feeling.

Another European door closes

This is not the first time the former Juventus star has found himself on the outside looking in. Last season, he was also left off the initial Champions League list and only clawed his way back into the European picture after compatriot Giovanni Leoni suffered a serious long-term injury that forced a reshuffle.

Chiesa’s Liverpool story in Europe has never really caught fire. He did make his debut for the club in the Champions League, coming off the bench in Italy in September 2024 after his £10m move, a moment that hinted at a fresh start on the biggest stage. Since then, the stage lights have mostly dimmed for him when it comes to continental football.

The latest omission underlines how fierce the fight for places has become inside Iraola’s dressing room. Liverpool have undergone a significant squad overhaul, and the manager has been forced into hard calls to meet UEFA registration rules and maintain balance across his options.

Depth comes at a cost

Endo’s absence from the list sits alongside Chiesa’s as another example of that ruthless competition. With Liverpool stretched across multiple fronts at home and abroad, Iraola has chosen to trust other members of his squad to carry the load in Europe.

The message is clear: reputation and transfer fee are no guarantees. In a squad this deep, every name on the list has to justify its place.

Domestic stage or nothing

For now, Chiesa’s path back into the Champions League is blocked. His season, at least in the short term, narrows to domestic competitions and the daily grind at the training ground. If he wants his European story at Anfield to continue, it will have to start with performances in England, not under the midweek lights of the continent.

Liverpool face a demanding calendar, building towards a marquee Champions League clash with Inter on January 19. That date will sting for Chiesa: a high-profile meeting with Italian opposition, and he will be watching rather than playing.

But European campaigns are long and unforgiving. Injuries can rip up even the best-laid plans. That is how the door opened for him once before. The question now is simple: if it opens again, will he be ready to walk through it and stay there?