Iraola's Ruthless Decision on Chiesa and Endo at Liverpool
Andoni Iraola has wasted no time showing where the fault lines lie in his new Liverpool squad.
In his first Champions League list as Reds boss, he has left out Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, two full internationals with long contracts, from the 25-man group for the 2026-27 campaign. When Liverpool open their European season against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on September 9, both will be watching from the stands.
Ruthless early call from Iraola
This is not a clerical oversight. It is a deliberate statement.
UEFA rules cap non-locally trained players on List A at 17. Iraola chose to use those coveted slots on £123 million signing Bradley Barcola, fellow summer recruit Victor Munoz, and even injured forward Hugo Ekitike. Chiesa and Endo, both fit enough to be considered for selection in the medium term, did not make the cut.
The message is stark: they are not central to his European plans.
Chiesa, 28, has never really got going on Merseyside. His Liverpool story has been stop-start, repeatedly interrupted by fitness issues. He is currently out with a muscle problem that is not thought to be long-term, yet Iraola still preferred to register long-term absentees Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni ahead of him. That choice underlines just how far down the pecking order the Italian now sits.
Endo’s situation looks no brighter. The Japan international saw his involvement collapse last season, restricted to just eight Premier League appearances and a single Champions League outing. He remains under contract until 2027, but his role has shrunk to the margins.
Carragher’s blunt verdict
Jamie Carragher did not sugar-coat it.
Speaking on The Overlap, the former Liverpool defender delivered a harsh appraisal of where Chiesa and Endo stand under Iraola.
"Liverpool have got two players in the squad who are never going to play," he said. "And there are all these quotas, you can only have 17 players and all that. They have got Chiesa and Endo. It’s like they are never going to kick a ball."
Carragher then turned his fire on the club’s decision to keep Endo this summer.
"Endo should have been moved on," he added. "He has done great, a bit of a cult hero."
The respect for Endo’s effort and attitude is clear. The belief that his time at the sharp end of Liverpool’s ambitions is over is even clearer.
Future reduced to cup scraps?
On paper, both players are secure. Chiesa is tied down until 2028, Endo until 2027. On the pitch, their prospects look anything but secure.
With Champions League doors shut for now, their immediate opportunities appear confined to domestic cups and the odd league outing if rotation or injuries bite. The only realistic route back into Europe this season would be a significant injury crisis that triggers a permitted change to the registered squad later in the campaign.
Liverpool, meanwhile, move on quickly. A domestic test against Ipswich Town awaits on Friday, then the intensity ramps up with Atletico Madrid under the Anfield lights and a demanding league phase schedule that includes trips to Inter and Fenerbahce.
Iraola has nailed his colours to the mast. The question now is whether Chiesa and Endo can force their way back into his plans, or whether this Champions League snub marks the beginning of the end for their Liverpool careers.
