Liverpool has made some interesting selections for the Champions League league phase with its squad, as two stars miss out but three injured players are included.
Andoni Iraola, Manager of Liverpool, looks on before the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC
Liverpool has named its Champions League squad for the league phase(Image: (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Liverpool has named its Champions League squad for the 2026/27 league phase of the competition, with Andoni Iraola making some interesting choices.
The Athletic reports that the Reds have snubbed both Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, with the duo not featuring on the List A group of stars for the competition, meaning they won't be available for selection.
It comes as a blow to the pair, who have slipped down the pecking order in recent seasons, with Iraola seemingly preferring other options in his team instead.
Chiesa was linked with an exit once again this summer, but he has stayed at Anfield in the hope of pushing for a starting place, after several seasons of fitness troubles and difficulty in building momentum.
The Italian international hasn't been available so far in the Premier League this season, with a minor injury preventing him from being involved. Considering the lack of depth on the right flank in particular, he may fancy his chances of landing a place, though the Champions League decision is a blow to those hopes.
As for Endo, his lack of involvement has come as he has also been recovering from an injury over preseason, while other options in the team have seemingly overtaken him for a place.
The pair have been dropped, but three injured stars have been selected instead. Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, and Conor Bradley all feature in the list, despite their fitness issues, as they could play a part later in the year.
Leoni is expected back the soonest, following almost one year out of action with an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury that he picked up on his debut last September. The rehabilitation has taken a while, but he is now in the final stages and hopeful of returning soon.
Giovanni Leoni of Liverpool in action during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Southampton
Giovanni Leoni has been discussing his injury trouble at Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar Via Getty Images))
Both Ekitike and Bradley are expected back just before the turn of the New Year. The former picked up an Achilles injury at the back end of last season, which has required plenty of time to heal, while the latter has been dealing with his own serious knee issue.
Youngsters such as Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni don't feature on the squad list, as they are able to feature on List B due to their age. However, a minimum of eight homegrown players still need to be named in the team.
Liverpool's Champions League campaign gets underway next week with a challenging home tie against Atletico Madrid, before a first away trip to LASK in October.
Villarreal and Fenerbahce follow that up for the first half of the fixtures, with Club Brugge and Porto wrapping up the action in Europe for 2026.
Early 2027 brings about the final two matches of the league phase, as Inter Milan and RC Lens await the Reds in what could be crucial for the final position in the standings.
It remains to be seen how Liverpool will cope in the competition, with the task of balancing those fixtures alongside the Premier League, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup. But it's one that Iraola will have to face nonetheless.
Liverpool’s 25-man squad: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman, Jaros; Gomez, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Bradley, Leoni, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Araujo, Chambers, Mabaya; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Munoz, Gravenberch, McConnell; Isak, Gakpo, Ekitike, Barcola.