Liverpool Eyes Champions League Record Despite Chiesa Injury

Liverpool is poised to make history by aiming for a Champions League record as they prepare to face Bologna, despite facing an injury setback with forward Federico Chiesa. The Reds are looking to build on their recent performance after a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Wolves in the Premier League. While Chiesa’s absence is a blow, his teammate Alexis Mac Allister remains confident in his potential impact at Anfield. This matchup marks a unique moment in the competition’s new format, as Liverpool becomes the first team to play two consecutive matches against clubs from the same country.

Liverpool faces Chiesa injury, but forward set to return

Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa suffers an injury setback, missing his Champions League debut at Anfield and possibly sidelined until after the international break.

The Italian international is dealing with a muscular issue, ruling him out of Wednesday’s match against Bologna and putting his availability for Saturday’s game at Crystal Palace in doubt.

Manager Arne Slot feels it’s especially disappointing for Chiesa, a £10m summer signing from Juventus, to miss the chance to play against a team from his homeland.

However, there was positive news regarding striker Diogo Jota, who missed training but is expected to be fit for the Bologna match.

Slot said: “Diogo missed two sessions after the game against Wolves. He took a knock, but I am expecting him to be with us and available to play. Federico trained yesterday [Monday] and came in today with some problems, and I am not expecting him to be available.

“It is a pity for us and even more for him; he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, especially against an Italian team, but there will be many more. I am not expecting him to be out for a long time, and we have to see if he will be able to be in the game on Saturday.”

Since joining Liverpool, Chiesa has featured in three games, with his only start being in last week’s 5-1 victory over West Ham.

However, teammate Alexis Mac Allister is confident that Chiesa will play a key role during his time at Anfield.

The Argentina midfielder said: “From the day he arrived, you could see how happy he is to be here, and that is already a very important thing. He is showing how good he is; we expect a lot from him; he will be very important for us, and I am pretty sure he is going to do well here.”

Liverpool to break Champions League record vs Bologna

Liverpool are poised to make history as they host Bologna in the Champions League.

The Reds host last season’s Serie A surprise team at Anfield on Wednesday, aiming to build on Saturday’s tough 2-1 win against Wolves in the Premier League. Two weeks ago, Arne Slot’s team defeated AC Milan 3-1 to start the Champions League’s new format with a victory, making the results of their first two matches historic.

No team has ever begun their Champions League campaign with consecutive matches against clubs from the same country. However, on Wednesday, Liverpool will make history as the first club to achieve this feat. This change is a result of the new format introduced by UEFA this season, which eliminates the traditional group stage featuring four teams from different countries.

Liverpool will soon have played two Italian teams, a trend that will continue throughout most of their eight-game league phase. Slot’s side will later face two German clubs, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, followed by matches against two Spanish teams, Real Madrid and Girona, and finally encounters with Lille from France and PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands.

UEFA’s sole rule concerning fixture arrangements stated that teams could not face opponents from Pot 1 in their first two or last two matches. This allowed Liverpool to request matches against teams from the same country on consecutive matchdays, potentially aiding Slot’s squad in adjusting to different playing styles from various leagues.

The Reds won’t be concerned about records when the final whistle blows; their main focus will be on the outcome. Bologna lost many of their top players over the summer, including manager Thiago Motta, striker Joshua Zirkzee, and defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Stay Ahead of the Game! Get the latest updates, exclusive content, and more straight to your inbox.
Subscribe Now