Arne Slot excludes one of their best forwards from the UEFA Champions League squad (Credits: Imago Images)
Like any other club, Liverpool have announced their UEFA Champions League squad for the season. However, there has been some controversy regarding the selection and the number of players in question.
Firstly, Arne Slot decided to only go with a 22-man squad instead of a full 25-man squad. Several analysts have also highlighted the lack of depth in the central defensive zone.
Slot only has three players he can confidently deploy down the centre. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté will cover the heart of defence at Anfield this season.
However, the club is only one injury away from a depth crisis in the backline. Van Dijk can’t realistically cover the spot for back-to-back games at 34.
Gomez has historically had injury issues, which isn’t a good look for Liverpool’s defensive health. Konaté, on the other hand also isn’t the fittest of footballers since his days at RB Leipzig.
Add to that Liverpool’s set-piece defensive stat, which ranked fourth-worst in the whole league last season. However, The Reds have decided to solve those problems by making a few coaching changes to the team.
The biggest shocker of all, though, is Arne Slot dropping Federico Chiesa for the UEFA Champions League squad.
Quiz: Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
Why did Slot drop Federico Chiesa from the UEFA Champions League squad?
The reason Reds gaffer Arne Slot dropped Chiesa from the Champions League squad isn’t linked to performance; instead, it’s because of UEFA’s squad selection rules.
The Union of European Football Associations only allows up to 17 non-homegrown players in the 25-man squad for the continental competition.
As journalist Ian Doyle pointed out on X (formerly Twitter), “Liverpool could only have 17 ‘non-homegrown’ players in the squad. Ngumoha has taken one of those slots.”
Many fans are confused regarding Rio Ngumoha’s non-homegrown status. UEFA states the following regarding who counts as a homegrown player:
Article 31.06: “A ‘club-trained player’ is a player who, between the ages of 15 (or the start of the season during which he turns 15) and 21 (or the end of the season during which he turns 21)… has been registered with the player’s current club for a period… of three entire seasons… or of 36 months.”
Article 31.07: “An ‘association-trained player’ is a player who, between the ages of 15… and 21… has been registered with a club or with other clubs affiliated to the same association as that of the player’s current club for a period… of three entire seasons… or of 36 months.”
Unfortunately, Ngumoha, being only 17, has completed two seasons in the association after turning 15. Yes, he has spent his entire career on the Isles, but the clock counting these requisites only starts after a player turns 15.
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