Federico Chiesa has struggled to find his place at Liverpool, and head coach Arne Slot addressed the situation ahead of the team’s match against Fulham. Slot acknowledged the challenges Chiesa faces in getting playing time, emphasizing that the player needs to be on the field to regain his form.
“What he needs is to play,” Slot stated. “The problem is that if he hasn’t played for five or six months, it’s sometimes difficult for a manager to give him his first minutes because you don’t exactly know what to expect. Yes, I see him in training, but ideally, he would participate in a friendly match or a U21 game. However, that’s not our situation; we have so many matches coming up.”
Chiesa has had limited opportunities since joining Liverpool, with only three appearances totaling less than 80 minutes of play. His time on the sidelines has been largely due to injuries, and he has not featured for the first team since September. Recently, he even scored his first goal since transferring while playing with the Under-21 team.
Slot continued, “If Cacace had scored in the second half, we would be talking about a different match. We recognize his talent and understand his quality, but he must enhance his fitness level. Training alone cannot replicate the benefits of actual match play.”
Looking ahead, Slot indicated that the upcoming match against Southampton in the Carabao Cup could provide Chiesa with a valuable opportunity to gain some much-needed playing time. “The Southampton match may serve as a good moment for him to get some minutes on the pitch,” he noted.
