Liverpool have confirmed their 22-man squad for the opening stage of the Champions League with Federico Chiesa the main absentee as the Reds look to go further than last season’s last-16 exit
Rio Ngumoha has been included in Liverpool’s squad, but Federico Chiesa is out(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool have unveiled a 22-man squad for the upcoming revamped Champions League opening stage, with Federico Chiesa notably missing. The six-time champions are looking to better their last-16 finish from the previous season, having qualified as Premier League winners.
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The Reds kick off the league stage – where the 36 qualified teams face eight different opponents – with a home match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, 17 September.
Arne Slot’s team will also welcome Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Qarabag to Anfield, while they’ll hit the road to face Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Inter Milan and Marseille, with the first stage wrapping up in late January.
Each club can register a maximum of 25 players in their primary ‘List A’ squad, which must include at least eight spots reserved exclusively for what UEFA classifies as locally-trained or homegrown players – those trained by their club or another club in the same national association for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
Liverpool’s chosen squad of 22 includes new signings Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giovanni Leoni, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman, reports the Liverpool Echo.
However, with only 17 non-homegrown players permitted on the list, Chiesa has missed out on selection for the competition’s opening stage. Rio Ngumoha is considered non-homegrown, having only joined Liverpool last year.
Trey Nyoni and Jayden Danns are also absent from the list, despite both having appeared in the Champions League last season, though they remain eligible and can instead be included in ‘List B’ owing to their ages and club-trained credentials.
Rio Ngumoha has made the squad(Image: Getty Images)
Clubs are permitted to register unlimited players on ‘List B’ throughout the campaign and can makeupdates ahead of each match.
UEFA’s regulations outline the criteria: “A player may be registered on List B if he is 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 on or after 1 January 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.
“Players aged 16 may be registered on List B if they have been registered with the participating club for the previous two years without interruption.”
Youngster Trey Nyoni is on Liverpool’s B-List(Image: Offside via Getty Images)Article continues below
If Liverpool secure qualification for the knockout rounds – with the top eight advancing straight to the round of 16 whilst those placed between ninth and 24th face a play-off – they will be permitted to modify their ‘List A’ with three fresh eligible players whilst maintaining the 25-man restriction.
LIVERPOOL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SQUAD LIST A: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Bradley, Leoni, Robertson, Frimpong, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Gravenberch, Isak, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike, Ngumoha.