Liverpool's Attack Strengthened with Chiesa and Jota Back in Training
Click to start listening
Liverpool, Dec 13 (NationPress) Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota are on track to rejoin the Liverpool squad this weekend. Both forwards have been absent from senior matches since September and October, respectively, but have now resumed training alongside their teammates.
The Reds are gearing up to face Fulham in the Premier League at Anfield this Saturday, and Chiesa, along with Jota, could potentially feature.
“I believe they are (available). We have one more training session to conduct. Federico has been out for quite some time and was unwell last week, so we need to monitor his condition closely. However, it’s possible that Diogo will be included in the squad, and maybe Federico as well, depending on our numbers and how he has recovered from his illness,” stated Arne Slot during the press briefing.
Chiesa, a key player for Italy during the victorious 2020 European Championship, was highly coveted across Europe; however, a significant knee injury while at Juventus led him to leave the Turin side and sign with Liverpool in 2024 for £12 million. Since joining, Chiesa has started one match and made brief appearances in three others but has not played since September 25.
“The challenge lies in the number of games we play. What he requires is match time, and if a player hasn’t played for five or six months, it can be challenging for a manager to give him those initial minutes, as expectations can be uncertain.
“Indeed, I observe him during training, but ideally, we would see him in a friendly match during the week or in an U21 game – unfortunately, that’s not our current situation with the busy fixture list,” Slot elaborated.
As Liverpool leads both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, finding minutes for Chiesa may prove difficult. He is unlikely to contribute against Fulham but is anticipated to start in the upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Thursday (IST).
“Perhaps the Southampton match could serve as a suitable opportunity for him to gain some playing time, allowing us to assess what we can expect from him. We recognize his skills, but he needs to achieve a certain fitness level.
“Training alone does not equate to actual match time. To reach specific fitness standards, playing time is crucial. However, competing for the league and in the Champions League complicates the prospect of finding these minutes, unless we occasionally find ourselves 4-0 or 5-0 ahead. Throughout the entire season, we’ve only experienced a comfortable lead once, against Bournemouth when we were up 3-0 at halftime; otherwise, it’s been a battle until the final whistle,” concluded the Dutch head coach.
