Liverpool shock by omitting Endo and Chiesa from Champions League squad

On a September afternoon, while I was following Liverpool's training session at the AXA Training Centre, I noticed a peculiar detail. Wataru Endo, the midfielder who stabilized Liverpool's midfield last season, was not in the squad list for the Champions League match. He was training normally, with no signs of injury, but his name was absent from the 25-man registered squad. Federico Chiesa, the new signing from Juventus, was also missing. The training ground was still fully staffed, but the atmosphere was eerily quiet when I asked a club staff member about the official list. That was the moment I realized that in football, the truth lies not in what you see on the pitch, but in what you don't see. The context of this decision needs to be placed in a larger picture. Liverpool, under head coach Arne Slot, is in a transitional phase. They just finished their first season after the Jurgen Klopp era, with a rebuilt squad. During the summer transfer window, they signed Chiesa from Juventus for a fee of around £10-12 million, a deal considered 'a bargain' if the Italian forward stays fit. But Chiesa's issue is not talent; it's fitness. He arrived at Liverpool with a lingering injury, and the coaching staff is uncertain about his ability to adapt to the team's high-intensity pressing system. The decision to omit Endo and Chiesa from the Champions League squad is not random. It reflects a clear tactical philosophy from Arne Slot. Endo, a classic defensive midfielder, does not fit the style of play Slot is building. Slot prefers midfielders who can carry the ball, pass progressively, and handle pressure well. Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott are the preferred options. Endo, although still used in the Premier League, has a reduced role in big matches. Interestingly, Liverpool registered three injured players, including Conor Bradley, in their Champions League squad. This indicates a 'knockout-stage first' strategy. They are betting on these players recovering in time for the knockout rounds. This is a risky decision, but it also signals the club's ambition. They are not just aiming to get through the group stage; they want the strongest squad for the decisive phase. However, there is a common misunderstanding from the outside that this decision is a punishment for Endo or Chiesa. In reality, it reflects a tactical and fitness reality. Endo is not 'frozen out,' but he does not fit Slot's long-term plan. Chiesa is not 'forgotten,' but he needs time to integrate and reach peak fitness. In football, sometimes the truth lies in the dressing room, where people cannot hide their true nature. And there, both understand their position clearly. Looking ahead, I believe this decision will have significant consequences. Endo, at 31, may seek a new destination in the January transfer window to get regular playing time. Chiesa, if he recovers and performs well in domestic cup competitions, could have a chance in the Champions League in the future. But the biggest question is: Does Liverpool have enough depth to sustain a title race in all three competitions? A match without the roar of the crowd still tells more than a noisy season. And the dressing room is where the truth lives longer than any contract.