Chiesa still hasn't been given a chance by coach Arne Slot in the Champions League

Liverpool FC has released the list of 21 players heading to Turkey for the Champions League match against Galatasaray. Interestingly, Federico Chiesa's name is missing even though he was earlier added to the squad.

According to British media reports, the Italian star participated in Monday morning’s open training session at the AXA Training Centre before the team departed for Istanbul. However, coach Arne Slot did not include him in the registered squad for the game against Galatasaray.

This decision has surprised both experts and fans, as Chiesa recently showed impressive form in the last two matches: scoring a late equalizer in the 1-2 loss to Crystal Palace in the Premier League and providing two assists in the 2-1 victory over Southampton in the League Cup.

The reason is believed to stem from Liverpool initially excluding Chiesa from the Champions League squad due to registration limits. Although the 27-year-old was re-registered after an exception granted following newcomer Giovanni Leoni’s long-term injury, coach Arne Slot opted for a different lineup for the away match at Rams Park.

On the other hand, new signing Hugo Ekitike returns to the squad after serving a one-match domestic suspension. Notably, 17-year-old talent Rio Ngumoha is also included, while Freddie Woodman is the third goalkeeper as per UEFA rules. Young midfielder Trey Nyoni is not registered and will likely play in the UEFA Youth League with Liverpool U19, and Jayden Danns is absent due to a hamstring injury.

The Merseyside club began this Champions League season with a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Galatasaray suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt and will be eager to restore pride in front of their home crowd.

Chiesa’s absence forces coach Arne Slot to carefully plan the attack, especially given the congested schedule. Nevertheless, with the current squad and Ekitike’s return, Liverpool is still considered the favorite aiming to secure all three points to strengthen their position in the overall standings.