Iraola hints at Chiesa opportunities as Liverpool face attacking injury pile-up
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Federico Chiesa of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Liverpool head coach has hinted that Federico Chiesa could potentially be in line for increased opportunities after recovering from an injury issue over the international break and with the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo all unavailable.
Iraola: ‘Chiesa has been doing a good job in the international break’
Chiesa has not featured at all for Liverpool in 2026-27 due to a muscular injury, but Iraola has confirmed that he is closing in on a return to competitive action and that he ‘has been doing a good job’ in training during the international break.
Iraola has warned that Chiesa has not had an opportunity to test himself in a competitive match environment, but given that Liverpool are currently without three of their first-choice centre forwards at the moment, there might be opportunities for ‘wingers who have played up front in other teams’, like Chiesa has previously done with Juventus and Italy.
Iraola was quizzed about his options at centre-forward during his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match against Manchester City coming up on Sunday.
“Even before [the injuries to Isak and Gakpo], we don’t have Hugo Ekitike, another very good centre-forward I’m looking forward to having available. We don’t have Hugo, we don’t have Alex [Isak].
“We will maybe recover Fede Chiesa, but he hasn’t played any minutes, he’s recovering from an injury, but he has been doing a good job in the international break, he’s been training with the small group we had.
“A pure no.9, it’s true that we probably only have Koumas right now, but we have some other options. We have some wingers who have played up front in other teams and I think we will put out an XI ready tompete in that game.”
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