Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool will head into the Champions League knockouts with one hand tied behind their back due to a UEFA squad restriction that they can’t do anything about. Long‑term injuries to Wataru Endo and Conor Bradley has exposed a loophole in the rules – and it could leave Arne Slot dangerously light for the business end of Europe.
Endo was stretchered off in the 1-0 win over Sunderland earlier this month after trying to play on at right‑back, only to go down again in serious pain.
Slot admitted afterwards he expects the Japan international to be out for “a long, long time”, adding to an already cursed season in that position with Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong also sidelined. Under normal circumstances you’d expect Liverpool to bring in another senior defender into their Champions League squad to cover, but UEFA’s rules mean they simply can’t.
UEFA rule 31.14.c allows clubs to make only one change to their main (A list) Champions League squad due to a long‑term injury – and only during the first six league‑phase games.
Liverpool already used their one allowed replacement earlier in the season, when they took out Giovanni Leoni after his serious ACL injury and registered Federico Chiesa in his place.
Because Endo’s injury happened after Liverpool had submitted their squad for the knockout rounds, they are blocked from replacing him with another senior option. Slot can only add players from the B list – mainly youngsters who meet strict age and club‑training criteria – and not an experienced first‑teamer
The result is that Liverpool will go into the rest of their European campaign with just 19 senior players available on their A list. Endo remains registered but unavailable, while other injured names also occupy squad spots and can’t be swapped out. A player like Calvin Ramsay might have been a logical alternative at right‑back, but due to homegrown and locally trained player rules, even that idea is off the table.
There is some hope that at least one currently injured star could return by the quarter‑final stage in April if Liverpool get that far, easing the strain a little. For now, though, the UEFA rulebook has left Slot with a painfully thin senior group just as the Champions League is about to get serious
READ MORE: New European giant enters race for Ibrahima Konate
Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.