Chiesa & Endo not in Liverpool's Champions League squad

What the report says

Liverpool have excluded Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo from their 25-man Champions League squad for the league phase, according to BBC Sport Football. The club’s opening group-stage match is at home to Atletico Madrid on 9 September, and the published squad list also includes several players returning from injury.

Chiesa, an Italy forward who joined Liverpool from Juventus in August 2024, was also left out at first in last season’s competition before later being added after an injury to defender Giovanni Leoni. BBC Sport reports that Chiesa is currently injured but is expected to be back in training during the international break later this month. Endo, the Japan midfielder, also misses out despite being in the squad mix for Liverpool’s early Premier League matches this season.

Liverpool have instead included younger midfielder James McConnell, along with Leoni, Conor Bradley and striker Hugo Ekitike, even though all three defenders or attackers are still recovering from longer-term injuries. The squad decision matters because Champions League clubs must balance limited List A places, including a quota for homegrown players, with the need to cover injuries and form. More broadly, the omission suggests both Chiesa and Endo may face a harder route into regular European involvement this autumn.