Chiesa & Endo left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad

Liverpool have left Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo out of their 25-man squad for the league phase of the Champions League.

Italy forward Chiesa was also initially excluded in the competition last season under former boss Arne Slot, before being added to the list after defender Giovanni Leoni suffered a long-term knee injury in September.

Chiesa, 28, is currently out injured but expected to return to training during the international break later this month.

He has struggled for first-team football at Liverpool since joining from Juventus in August 2024.

Japan midfielder Endo, 33, has been an unused substitute for manager Andoni Iraola’s side in their two league games so far this season, but he misses out too, with 21-year-old James McConnell making the cut.

Defenders Leoni and Conor Bradley, along with striker Hugo Ekitike, have also been included in the Champions League squad, despite recovering from long-term injuries.

In his news conference prior to the Premier League game against Ipswich Town on Friday (20:00 BST), Reds boss Iraola said Leoni could return to training during the September international break, but Bradley and Ekitike were further away from comebacks.

Liverpool open their Champions League campaign with a home game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, 9 September (20:00 BST).

In the Champions League, clubs are allowed to submit a squad of up to 25 List A players and an unlimited number of List B players.

At least eight places in List A must be reserved for homegrown or ‘locally trained’ players.