Why Liverpool Have Left Out Two Senior Players From Champions League Squad

Andoni Iraola was still happy to bank on three long-term absentees.

Some tough decisions from Andoni Iraola | Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

There was no place for either Federico Chiesa or Wataru Endō in Liverpool’s squad for the league phase of the 2026–27 Champions League.

It is the second year in a row in which Chiesa failed to make Liverpool’s roster, although the Italy international was subsequently added to last season’s group as a replacement for the injured Giovanni Leoni.

Endō, meanwhile, will join Chiesa on the sidelines. Neither player has seen a minute of action under new manager Andoni Iraola thus far, with Chiesa battling an injury and Endō going unused on the bench.

There are, however, places for the injured trio of Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitiké.

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Liverpool’s Champions League Roster

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Vítězslav Jaroš.

Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Ronald Araújo, Jérémy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas, Luke Chambers, Isaac Mabaya.

Midfielders: Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, James McConnell.

Forwards: Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola, Hugo Ekitiké, Cody Gakpo, Victor Muñoz.

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Why Liverpool Were Forced Into Decision

Federico Chiesa (left) and Wataru Endō (right) are both on the sidelines. | Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Last season, manager Arne Slot was in a tricky situation when it came to his Champions League squad. Clubs can register as many as 25 players but at least eight must be homegrown. If a team cannot fill that homegrown quota, they lose one roster spot for each omission.

As a result, Liverpool registered just 22 players for last season’s league phase, with Chiesa the unfortunate senior star initially left on the sidelines.

This time around, Liverpool and new boss Iraola have made it to the full 25-man roster, although plenty of positions are taken by academy talents, such as fullbacks Luke Chambers and Isaac Mabaya alongside midfielder James McConnell, while fourth-choice goalkeeper Vítězslav Jaroš is also taking a spot.

Those are the sort of players that were left out last season but, in reality, Liverpool are still facing the same struggle when it comes to meeting the homegrown quota, particularly after Curtis Jones’s exit to Inter Milan. Iraola may have the players to reach the full requirement, but there are still too many senior players who do not qualify.

Some were going to have to lose out, and Iraola has opted for Chiesa and Endō, the latter of whom’s absence will also be down to Iraola’s faith in McConnell and, particularly, young Trey Nyoni, whose age and time with the club mean he does not need to be formally registered.

As was the case last season with Chiesa, one of the pair could still be added as a replacement for a player who suffers a long-term injury, while Iraola will get the chance to submit a fresh squad after the January transfer window.

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