Chiesa and Endo Omitted from Liverpool's Champions League Squad

Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo have both been omitted from Liverpool’s 25-man squad for the league phase of the Champions League, a bold early call from Andoni Iraola as he shapes his first European campaign at Anfield.

Chiesa’s absence jumps off the page. The Italy forward, signed from Juventus in August 2024 with all the fanfare of a marquee arrival, has never really found a rhythm on Merseyside. Now 28 and currently sidelined, he is expected to return to training during the international break later this month, but that has not been enough to earn him a place on List A.

It is not the first time his name has been missing from the paperwork. Under former boss Arne Slot last season, Chiesa was initially left out of the Champions League squad as well, only drafted in after defender Giovanni Leoni suffered a long-term knee injury in September. This time, there is no injury-enforced opening yet. Just a straight decision.

Endo’s omission tells its own story. The 33-year-old Japan midfielder has not played a single minute in the league so far, restricted to the role of unused substitute in both of Liverpool’s opening games. For a player who once offered reliability and control, the Champions League door closing – at least for the group stage – underlines the shift towards youth and energy in Iraola’s midfield.

The beneficiary is James McConnell. At 21, the academy product has forced his way into the conversation and now into the squad, edging out Endo for one of the coveted 25 spots. In a competition where clubs can register only 25 List A players, with at least eight of them homegrown or locally trained, every place is a statement of intent. McConnell’s inclusion feels exactly that.

There is better news for some of Liverpool’s long-term absentees. Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike all make the Champions League squad despite still working back from serious injuries. Iraola, speaking before Friday night’s Premier League meeting with Ipswich Town (20:00 BST), offered a cautiously optimistic update: Leoni could be back in training during the September international break. Bradley and Ekitike, he admitted, remain further away.

Their inclusion is a gamble on potential upside. If their recoveries stay on track, Liverpool’s squad could look far stronger in the latter half of the group stage. If setbacks arrive, Iraola will have burned three List A spots on players who cannot help him when the schedule tightens.

Liverpool’s campaign begins with a heavyweight clash: Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, 9 September (20:00 BST). European nights under the lights, a new manager in the dugout, a refreshed squad list on the UEFA portal – and a couple of big names looking on from the outside.

For Chiesa and Endo, the message is blunt. If they want a way back onto that Champions League list, they will have to force it through their league form.