Football - UEFA Champions League - League Phase - Galatasaray A.Åž v Liverpool FC ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, September 30, 2025: Liverpool s Hugo Ekitike backheel attempt on goal saved by Galatasaray s goalkeeper UÄüurcan ÃakÄr during the UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray A.Åž. and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda ISTANBUL Ali Sami Yen Stadium MARMARA TURKEY PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2025-09-30-Galatasaray_Liverpool-71
Liverpool face Chelsea on Saturday as Arne Slot will be looking forward to bouncing back from two straight defeats. The Reds will be travelling to London again, where they have lost two games already and have no positive history this season.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have problems of their own with eight injured, as the number might rise to eleven. However, Enzo Maresca will be confident while welcoming the Merseysiders, as the Blues recently won their UEFA Champions League match against Benfica despite not having all their players.
Slot, on the other hand, might miss Alisson Becker as the goalkeeper went down against Galatasaray, where the Reds lost 1-0 in Turkey.
Giovanni Leoni is also out as the defender; he recently posted about his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. “Surgery done. Thanks, everyone, for the messages. I’ll be back soon”, the teenager posted.
Hugo Ekitike injury update
Hugo Ekitike also went down against Galatasaray as Slot was clueless during the incident. Having talked about Alisson’s injury, the Dutchman said he wasn’t even sure what had happened when the referee blew his whistle after Ekitike displayed discomfort.
“I think at that moment in time, on the other side, there was someone on the floor as well, so the referee blew his whistle and I wasn’t even thinking we had an injury, but Hugo felt something”, Slot told the press.
However, despite the setback, Ekitike was added to the 23-man squad for the October international break. This month’s break runs from the 6th to the 14th of October as France face two more teams for their FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Didier Deschamps recently announced his squad as Les Bleus face Azerbaijan and Iceland on the 10th and the 13th of October, respectively.
This directly hints that Ektike might show up against Chelsea before the break, as many have been suggesting that it’s just a cramp.
Slot will be hoping for Chiesa to make a comeback
Federico Chiesa missed the clash against Galatasaray as the Italian winger had suffered a knock against Crystal Palace. He was the only Reds scorer against the Eagles as the winger gave hope to the Merseysiders in the final minutes of the game.
Despite not winning the game, Chiesa has been in incredible form this season. He wasn’t selected for the Champions League A list squad but later made a comeback following Leoni’s injury.
With 2 goals and 2 assists in under 153 minutes, Chiesa has been performing as the perfect super sub for Slot. The Dutchman will be hoping to get him back, as the Italian seems to have taken last season personally.
About the Author
