Federico Chiesa’s Reaction to Champions League Snub Revealed
Federico Chiesa’s response to being left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad has now come to light.
The Italian winger arrived at Anfield from Juventus in 2024 for an initial fee of £10 million, with an additional £2.5 million in performance-related bonuses. However, his debut season didn’t go as planned. Under Arne Slot, Chiesa struggled to find regular minutes, playing only 104 minutes in the Premier League, sparking rumors of a possible summer exit.
Those rumors intensified when he was left out of Liverpool’s pre-season tour due to a minor injury. Despite the uncertainty, Chiesa opted to remain with the club — a decision that appeared to pay off when he scored a late winner off the bench against Bournemouth on the opening day of the new campaign.
Still, his omission from Liverpool’s 22-man Champions League squad came as a surprise, especially as 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha was included instead. Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Burnley, manager Arne Slot addressed the situation.
“It’s one of the toughest decisions you face as a manager,” Slot explained. “I spoke to him about why we made this call. Naturally, he wasn’t pleased, but I believe he understood the reasoning behind it.”
Ngumoha has already made a name for himself this season, netting a dramatic last-minute winner against Newcastle. His rapid rise, combined with new attacking signings, has added even more competition for Chiesa.
Will Chiesa Get His Chance This Season?
Liverpool’s frontline has undergone major changes this summer. Following the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and the exits of Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez, the club acted swiftly in the transfer market.
Hugo Ekitike joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69 million and made an immediate impact, scoring in both the Community Shield and his first two league appearances. Meanwhile, Alexander Isak arrived in a record-breaking £125 million move and is expected to play a key role once fully fit.
With Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo still mainstays on the wings, and Ngumoha emerging as a reliable first-team option, Liverpool effectively added three new attacking options. This makes competition for minutes even fiercer.
For Chiesa, that means limited opportunities. He’ll need to make the most of every appearance to earn a bigger role. In the recent 1-0 win over Arsenal, he was restricted to just 11 minutes off the bench.
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