Federico Chiesa's Shocking Snub: How His Club Struggles Cost Him His Italy Spot

Italy's head coach Gennaro Gattuso has disclosed that he excluded Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa from his squad for the October international fixtures because the player doesn't feel "100%" physically.

The 27-year-old seemed poised to depart Anfield during the summer transfer window but surprisingly remained with Liverpool. He netted a vital winning goal in their season-opening Premier League triumph over Bournemouth and has delivered other important strikes for Arne Slot's side.

Chiesa has registered four goal contributions so far this campaign but continues to see limited playing time at Liverpool. He has appeared in only six matches, accumulating merely 153 minutes of game time—equivalent to less than two complete fixtures with just a single start coming in the Carabao Cup.

The ex-Juventus attacker hasn't featured for Italy since Euro 2024 and has yet to receive a call-up from Gattuso, who acknowledged having discussions about a potential comeback before fitness concerns emerged.

"The Chiesa situation is straightforward. I maintain regular communication with my players, and I want to emphasize this point strongly," Gattuso explained. "I have weekly conversations with Fede and he understands my opinion of him, but I must also honor what the player communicates to me. He doesn't feel completely ready and desires to be at full capacity; that's the reality."

Chiesa was initially excluded from Slot's Champions League roster for the league stage. However, he was subsequently added when he took the place of Giovanni Leoni following the defender's ACL injury.

Although Chiesa will be absent from the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Estonia and Israel, this break will provide him the chance to achieve full fitness ahead of Liverpool's resumption of play against bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday, Oct. 19.