Liverpool confirmed their 21-man travelling squad for the Champions League last‑16 first leg away to Galatasaray on Monday, with a couple of notable absentees jumping off the page once the list was published.
Arne Slot’s side completed their final training session at the AXA Training Centre earlier in the day before flying out to Istanbul, but the squad announced later did not include Alisson Becker or Federico Chiesa.
Alisson’s omission was the biggest surprise, with the Brazilian having taken part in Monday’s session before reporting an issue towards the end of training.
Reports indicate the goalkeeper felt discomfort, believed to be in his hamstring, prompting Liverpool’s medical staff to take a precautionary approach and keep him out of the travelling party.
Giorgi Mamardashvili is therefore set to start in Istanbul, with Freddie Woodman in line to provide cover from the bench. Chiesa, meanwhile, had already sparked concern when he was not spotted in the open section of Monday morning’s workout and his name was also missing from the final 21‑man group confirmed by the club.
Amid the uncertainty around two senior stars, there was at least one intriguing positive from that morning’s training session.
Academy journalist Lewis Bower reported that attacking midfielder Afolami Onanuga trained with the first‑team squad ahead of the trip to Turkey, offering a glimpse of another highly rated youngster edging closer to the senior picture.
Onanuga, nicknamed “Fola”, is a 19‑year‑old box‑to‑box midfielder who signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in November 2023 after progressing through the academy since joining as an under‑11 from grassroots football in Manchester.
The Nigerian‑born, England‑eligible prospect has been a standout for Marc Bridge‑Wilkinson’s under‑18s, known for carrying the ball forward, linking play and affecting games in the final third, and he has already made the step up to feature for the under‑21s.
Despite training with the first team, Onanuga is not in 21-man sqaud that is travelling to Istanbul today.
Attacking midfielder Afolami Onanuga (19) trained with the Liverpool first-team squad ahead of the UCL tie with Galatasaray.
— Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) March 9, 2026
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