Liverpool have made a fascinating decision with their 25-man Champions League squad for the 2026/27 league phase.
Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo have been left out.
But despite currently being injured, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley have all been included.
According to James Pearce, the injured trio are on course to return during the league phase and should therefore be available to make an impact later in the competition.
And for me, this tells us quite a lot about how Liverpool are thinking about the season.
Chiesa and Endo miss out
The biggest surprise is probably Federico Chiesa.
The Italian winger has been left out despite being an established first-team player.
However, Liverpool’s summer recruitment has changed the situation significantly.
The arrival of Bradley Barcola and Victor Muñoz, combined with Cody Gakpo remaining at the club, has increased competition for attacking positions.
Chiesa therefore appears to have lost his place in the Champions League squad because Liverpool simply couldn’t accommodate everyone under the competition’s registration rules.
Wataru Endo is the other senior player to miss out.
That’s perhaps less surprising given Liverpool’s midfield options and the fact that Endo’s role under Andoni Iraola is already a question mark.
But it still shows how difficult these squad decisions can be.
Why include injured players?
This is the really interesting part.
Liverpool have included:
Hugo Ekitike
Giovanni Leoni
Conor Bradley
All three are currently dealing with injuries.
So why select players who aren’t ready to play?
Because Liverpool aren’t only thinking about September.
They’re thinking about the entire league phase.
If the expectation is that these players will return during the coming months, then leaving them out now could potentially mean losing their services for the latter part of the Champions League campaign.
Liverpool clearly believe their eventual contribution could be more valuable than having another fit player available at the beginning.
Ekitike could be particularly important
The inclusion of Hugo Ekitike is a huge positive.
Liverpool desperately need another senior attacking option while he recovers.
Alexander Isak has already carried a significant amount of responsibility in the opening stages of the season, and the Champions League will only increase the demands on the squad.
If Ekitike can return later in the league phase, he could provide Iraola with another option up front.
And that could become extremely important.
Liverpool don’t simply need players for September.
They need players for November, December and beyond.
That’s what makes this decision understandable.
Leoni is another fascinating inclusion
Giovanni Leoni is perhaps the most intriguing of the three.
The young defender has been brought in as part of Liverpool’s long-term defensive planning, but an injury has delayed his start to life at Anfield.
Including him suggests Liverpool believe he can recover quickly enough to contribute during the Champions League league phase.
And if he does return, it could give Iraola another option in defence during what promises to be a demanding season.
Liverpool’s defensive depth is already something I’ve questioned.
So getting Leoni back could feel like making another signing.
Bradley’s return could solve a problem
Then there’s Conor Bradley.
Liverpool’s right-back situation has been one of the biggest talking points since the beginning of the season.
The club didn’t sign a specialist right-back during the summer, and Iraola has already had to consider alternative solutions.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been used at right-back.
Joe Gomez can cover there.
Ronald Araujo offers versatility.
But having Bradley back would give Iraola another natural option.
And that’s exactly why his Champions League inclusion makes sense.
If Bradley can return later in the league phase, Liverpool could have considerably more balance at right-back.
This tells us something about Liverpool’s strategy
For me, the most interesting thing about this squad isn’t actually who has been left out.
It’s who Liverpool have chosen to plan for.
They’ve looked beyond the immediate situation.
Chiesa is fit enough to be considered but hasn’t made the squad.
Endo has also missed out.
Meanwhile, three injured players have been given places because Liverpool expect them to become available later.
That’s a calculated gamble.
And it tells us that Liverpool are thinking about where their squad could be in a few months rather than simply where it is today.
It could prove to be a very important decision
Imagine Liverpool reach the final few league-phase matches.
Ekitike is back.
Bradley is back.
Leoni is back.
Suddenly Iraola has three additional options that weren’t available at the beginning of the campaign.
That could make a significant difference.
The Champions League is a long competition.
Squad depth becomes increasingly important as the matches pile up.
And injuries are inevitable.
But Chiesa’s omission is still significant
I don’t want to overlook this.
Chiesa is a player who can make a difference.
He’s experienced.
He’s technically gifted.
And on his day, he can provide something different.
Leaving him out means Liverpool have effectively decided that their other attacking options are more important for this competition.
Barcola’s arrival clearly plays a part in that.
So does Gakpo staying.
And so does the development of younger attacking players.
It’s a difficult decision.
But Liverpool had to make one.
Endo’s situation is also worth watching
Endo’s omission could also raise questions about his future.
He’s an experienced midfielder who has previously played an important role for Liverpool.
But Iraola appears to have different ideas about how he wants his midfield to function.
The fact that Endo hasn’t made the Champions League squad could therefore be another indication that his role is becoming increasingly limited.
That doesn’t mean he’s finished at Liverpool.
But it certainly makes his situation one to watch.
Liverpool have made their gamble
There is a clear logic behind this squad.
Liverpool have chosen to prioritise the players they believe can contribute most significantly throughout the competition.
Chiesa and Endo miss out.
Ekitike, Leoni and Bradley are included.
And that tells us something about the club’s expectations.
They’re expecting the injured trio to return.
They’re expecting them to contribute.
And they’re willing to sacrifice two senior players from the initial squad to make room for them.
Now we wait
For me, this is one of those decisions that we won’t properly judge until January.
If Ekitike, Leoni and Bradley all return and make important contributions, Liverpool’s decision will look extremely clever.
If injuries keep them out for longer than expected, it could look very different.
That’s football.
Liverpool have made their calculation.
They’re betting on the future rather than simply picking the squad for today.
And if everything goes according to plan, those three returning players could give Andoni Iraola a huge boost just when the Champions League starts to get serious.
Ekitike.
Leoni.
Bradley.
Liverpool are clearly expecting all three to have a role to play.
Now we just have to wait for them to get back.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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