The days immediately following the summer transfer window are when decisions on player selection for various competitions are made.
For Liverpool this term, the duo of Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo have been left out of their 25-man List A for the league phase of this season's UEFA Champions League, The Athletic reports.
Head coach Andoni Iraola has had to make some decisions regarding the squad, as a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players can be registered.
He has prioritised the recuperating trio of Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni over Chiesa and Endo, possibly sending a message to the duo about their status in the squad.
Academy graduates James McConnell, Luke Chambers, and Isaac Mabaya also made the list for the league phase.
Why Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo Missed Out on List A
Italy international Federico Chiesa has not enjoyed the best of times as a Liverpool player, as he enters into his third season at the club.
The 28-year-old featured sparingly under Arne Slot and was expected to leave the club last summer, only to stick around and make only five starts across all competitions for the Reds.
He was left out of their UEFA Champions League squad last season, as well, before Giovanni Leoni's ACL injury caused him to be drafted in as his replacement.
The former Juventus man has started life under Andoni Iraola in a quite disappointing manner, seeing as an injury has kept him out of their first two Premier League games of the campaign.
He is behind the quintet of Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, Victor Munoz, Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola, and Lewis Koumas in the thinking of the coach, resulting in his exclusion from the squad.
Chiesa is set to face a significant struggle for minutes in the squad, and there are 17 players the club would rather have in the Champions League.
Wataru Endo is faced by a similar situation as he enters into his final season at Anfield.
The Japan international, 30, was also thought of as a likely transfer away from the club this summer, but stuck around until the end of the window.
The experienced midfielder made 12 appearances across all competitions last season, and has been an unused sub in each of their first two games of the season.
He is behind Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trey Nyoni, and James McConnell in central midfield, meaning that he is unlikely to get many minutes in the Champions League.
The club has had to fit new signings Barcola, Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet, and Ronald Araujo into the squad for the competition, as well.
Medical Gamble or Calculated Strategy? The Inclusion of Ekitike, Bradley, and Leoni
The sticking point in this scenario is the inclusion of injured players at the expense of fitter ones, begging the question of whether it was a worthy gamble.
Ekitike and Conor Bradley are recovering from Achilles and knee injuries, respectively, and could be out of action until the new year.
Leoni, on the other hand, is close to a return to action following his ACL rupture on his debut for the club last season.
Iraola's decision to register all three players now leaves no doubt in anyone's minds that he intends for them to play key roles in his team.
This also means that the club wants them to be available to Champions League minutes from the minute they return to fitness, rather than wait until the next registration window in February.
Managing Squad Morale Amid UEFA's Registration Constraints
One of the toughest tasks for a football coach is to look their players in the eyes and tell them that they will not feature in a matchday squad.
Compared to being left out of the squad for a competition, however, that is significantly less stressful on the coaches.
Senior stars missing out on spots in the 25-man List A selection could upset dressing room dynamics and affect squad morale.
For Iraola, the task is to ensure that effective communication takes place with both Chiesa and Endo, explaining the tactical logic behind their omissions.
Failure to do this may foster a hostile environment that may derail their title ambitions for this season and beyond.
