Federico Chiesa has pulled out of the Italy squad for this week’s international fixtures following an assessment of his physical condition upon arrival at the national team camp. While the official explanation is related to fitness, it raises a bigger question about his situation at Liverpool this season.
In my view, one of the main reasons for his physical condition is simple — he is not getting enough regular game time.
Footballers often talk about match fitness being completely different from training fitness. You can train every day, be fit in the gym, and look sharp in training, but if you are only getting small cameos or sitting on the bench most weeks, your body is not fully adapted to the intensity of real matches. Then when you do suddenly play or join international duty, small injuries and fitness issues can appear.
Chiesa is one of several Liverpool squad players who have struggled for consistent minutes this season. When players like Ngumoha, Nyoni, Chiesa, Ramsay and others are not playing regularly, they are in a difficult position. They are expected to be ready when called upon, but without regular football that is very difficult.
This again comes back to squad rotation. If squad players were used more throughout the season, they would be sharper, fitter, and more ready when needed. Instead, Liverpool have relied heavily on the same core group of players, while others have barely played.
Now Liverpool have two problems — some players are tired because they have played too much, and other players are not fully match fit because they have not played enough. That is not a healthy balance for a squad.
Chiesa withdrawing from the Italy squad might seem like a small story, but it actually highlights a bigger issue at Liverpool this season — squad management, rotation, and keeping the whole squad match ready, not just the starting eleven.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
The Kopite View 
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