Wataru Endo is set to miss the majority of the remainder of the season, but Liverpool cannot replace the midfielder in their Champions League squad.
Liverpool are yet to confirm the extent of Endo’s injury but there are fears the Japan captain has suffered a fracture which could rule him out for a number of months.
Arne Slot remains hopeful that his No. 3 will play again this season, however it is an understandable concern with another senior player sidelined.
Endo’s injury came just over a week after Liverpool submitted their squad for the Champions League knockout stages – with no changes made.
But unlike with Giovanni Leoni‘s season-ending ACL injury earlier in the campaign, which allowed the club to register Federico Chiesa in his place, no such swaps are permitted when it comes to Endo.
Why UEFA rules bar Liverpool from replacing Wataru Endo
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, August 4, 2025: Liverpool's Wataru Endo during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
UEFA rule 31.14.c, which allows for a maximum of one outfielder to be replaced in the event of long-term injury or illness, is only in effect for first six games of the league phase.
After that point, and inclusive of updated squads for the knockouts, the senior List A is effectively locked with no changes possible.
The obvious choice for Liverpool would have been to replace Endo with right-back Calvin Ramsay, who was already ineligible to replace Conor Bradley in the revised squad due to rules on locally trained players.
However there remains no route into the squad for the 22-year-old Scot, which limits Slot’s options further ahead of the last 16.
Champions League ‘Locally Trained’ Player Rules Explained
Club Trained Players on the club’s books for 3 years (36 months) between ages 15-21. UEFA requires four in a 25-man List A.
Association Trained Players on the books of another club in the same FA for 3 years between ages 15-21. Max of four count toward the quota.
The Quota UEFA requires eight locally trained players. If a club has fewer, the maximum size of List A is reduced accordingly.
Liverpool were only able to register 22 senior players for the Champions League due to a lack of locally trained players, and three of those – Bradley, Endo and Alexander Isak – are long-term absentees.
Isak is at least slated to return to action in time for the quarter-finals, which take place between April 7 and 15, however there is of course no guarantee the Reds reach that stage.
Slot can still supplement his squad with an unlimited number of players registered via List B, though they must meet a number of requirements, per UEFA rule 31.12.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 28, 2026: Liverpool's Trey Nyoni during the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and Qaraba? FK at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after January 1, 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.
Trey Nyoni, Jayden Danns, Kieran Morrison, Amara Nallo, Wellity Lucky and goalkeepers Kornel Misciur and Bailey Hall are currently registered via List B.
Rio Ngumoha does not meet the criteria and is on List A.
Liverpool Champions League Squad Knockout Stages 2025/26
Total Squad: 29
List A: 22
Locally Trained: 5 (Target: 8)
Club Trained: 3 (Target: 4)
Position Player Name Registration Notes
GK Alisson List A —
Giorgi Mamardashvili List A —
Freddie Woodman List A Association Trained
Kornel Misciur List B U21
Bailey Hall List B U21
DEF Joe Gomez List A Club Trained
Virgil van Dijk List A —
Ibrahima Konate List A —
Amara Nallo List B U21
Wellity Lucky List B U21
Conor Bradley (Long-Term Injury) List A Club Trained
Milos Kerkez List A —
Jeremie Frimpong List A Association Trained
Andy Robertson List A —
MID Florian Wirtz List A —
Dominik Szoboszlai List A —
Alexis Mac Allister List A —
Ryan Gravenberch List A —
Curtis Jones List A Club Trained
Wataru Endo (Long-Term Injury) List A —
Trey Nyoni List B U21
FWD Alexander Isak (Long-Term Injury) List A —
Mohamed Salah List A —
Federico Chiesa List A —
Cody Gakpo List A —
Hugo Ekitike List A —
Kieran Morrison List B U21
Rio Ngumoha List A Reg. requirement
Jayden Danns List B U21
Registration Insight:
List A: The primary 25-man squad. Under UEFA rules, 8 spots are reserved for “locally trained” players (4 must be Club Trained).
List B: Unlimited youth list for players born on/after Jan 1, 2004, who have been at the club for 2+ years.
Rio Ngumoha: Must be registered on List A as he has not yet completed the 2-year club residency required for List B.