Federico Chiesa’s Debut Liverpool Season Has Been Underwhelming Despite Title Win
Federico Chiesa’s first season in the Premier League has been somewhat unusual. Although he’ll finish the campaign as a Premier League champion with Liverpool, his contribution has been minimal.
He reached the five-appearance threshold required to receive a winner’s medal in a loss to Chelsea in early May—after the title had already been clinched. While injuries have disrupted his season, there’s a growing sense that manager Arne Slot doesn’t fully trust the Italian winger.
Chiesa has struggled to make an impression, scoring just twice in all competitions—both in domestic cup matches—and failing to find the net in the league or Champions League. His long-awaited first Premier League start came against Brighton, but it did little to prove Slot wrong for not using him more.
Chiesa’s Performance vs Brighton
Though composed in possession and completing all six of his passes, Chiesa’s overall impact was limited. He had only 13 touches, failed in his only dribble attempt, and won just one out of eight duels. While he did register two key passes, he wasn’t able to deliver a goal or an assist.
Liverpool had taken the lead through Harvey Elliott before Brighton equalised through Yasin Ayari. Dominik Szoboszlai put the Reds ahead again just before half-time with what appeared to be a mishit cross that found the net. However, Brighton responded in the second half with goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood to secure a 3-2 victory.
Fans React to Chiesa’s Display
Supporters were largely critical of Chiesa’s performance and understood why Slot had used him so sparingly. One fan remarked, “You can see why Slot never played Chiesa. I was hoping he’d score to cover up the poor display, but he’s just not cut out for Premier League football.”
Another commented, “Chiesa does a lot of pointless running,” while a third added, “He’s just not the solution—he lacks the mental and physical toughness.”
Others echoed similar views, saying he doesn’t suit the team’s system and often seems lost on the pitch. One fan summarized the general sentiment: “Honestly, Chiesa doesn’t have the intensity we need. I like him, but it’s clear why he doesn’t get much playing time.”