Chiesa and Endo left out of Liverpool's Champions League squad

Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo will not be part of the 25-man squad Liverpool have registered for the league phase of the Champions League. The decision, confirmed by the Anfield club, partly repeats the situation the Italian forward already experienced in Europe's top competition last season.

• Chiesa and Endo are left out of the 25-man Champions League squad.
• James McConnell, a 21-year-old midfielder, is included in the list.
• Leoni, Bradley and Ekitike also make the cut despite recovering from long-term injuries.
• Liverpool open their European campaign at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday 9 September.
• Chiesa, currently injured, expects to return to training during the international break.

Chiesa misses out on the Champions League list again

Chiesa's absence from the European squad is not completely new for Liverpool supporters. In the previous edition, when Arne Slot was still in charge, the 28-year-old Italy international was also excluded from the initial list. He was eventually added after defender Giovanni Leoni suffered a serious knee injury in September.

Now, with the new continental campaign about to begin, the winger is left out from the start. Chiesa is currently recovering from an injury and will not be available for Liverpool's Champions League opener. The club expects him to rejoin training during this month's international break.

A difficult spell since joining from Juventus

Since arriving at Anfield from Juventus in August 2024, Chiesa has struggled to establish himself in the starting line-up. The Italian has never enjoyed a consistent run in the first team and his influence has fallen well short of expectations when his signing was announced.

At 28, the forward has been hampered by fitness problems and fierce competition on the wings. Leaving him out of the Champions League squad confirms that, for now, he is not a priority in the coaching staff's plans.

Endo also misses out as McConnell earns his place

Wataru Endo, the 33-year-old Japan midfielder, is also absent from the list of players registered for Europe. The international has not played a single minute in his side's first two league games under new manager Andoni Iraola, remaining an unused substitute on both occasions.

Endo's place in the squad goes to James McConnell, a 21-year-old who has earned the coaching staff's trust. The decision to include the young midfielder underlines Liverpool's willingness to give homegrown talent opportunities in European competition.

Leoni, Bradley and Ekitike included despite injury lay-offs

Liverpool's Champions League squad features three players who are still recovering from long-term injuries. Defenders Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley, along with striker Hugo Ekitike, are all on the 25-man list even though none of them is yet fit to play.

Speaking before the Premier League game against Ipswich Town, Iraola said Leoni could return to training during the September international break. For Bradley and Ekitike, however, the comeback is further away, with no clear date set for their return to full training.

European opener against Atletico Madrid on 9 September

Liverpool will begin their campaign in the new Champions League league phase with a home match. On Wednesday 9 September they host Atletico Madrid at Anfield in a fixture that marks the start of a demanding format with little room for error.

The meeting with the Spanish side will be the first major European test for a team eager to improve on last season's lacklustre continental run. With the squad list now closed and several absences confirmed, Iraola must make the most of the resources available to start strongly.

How Champions League squad registration works

In the Champions League, clubs can submit up to 25 List A players, along with an unlimited number of List B players. UEFA rules state that at least eight places in List A must be reserved for homegrown or locally trained footballers.

That requirement forces teams to balance their squads and give prominence to their own academy talent, as shown by McConnell's inclusion at the expense of veteran Endo.