Federico Chiesa, the'latest announcement infuriates blue fans

Federico Chiesa ends up in a social media storm after Liverpool coach Arne Slot’s words announcing his availability for the Reds’ next FA Cup match. Chiesa, who was summoned by coach Gennaro Gattuso for Italy’s decisive World Cup playoffs, had shown up at Coverciano but then decided to forfeit due to an unspecified physical problem, returning immediately to England.

Slot, who has used him very little so far this season, instead announced that the player is available for Liverpool’s next match: “Federico has returned from the national team, where he was unable to play. He trained with us today, so he will train with us again tomorrow and will be available for the weekend game.” The news has provoked anger on social media from many Azzurri fans, still burned by the elimination of the national team: for many it is “a betrayal” and the final “straw that breaks the camel’s back.” So many are calling for him to no longer be called up to the Azzurro.

Gattuso had explained Chiesa’s renouncement this way in a press conference: “Players’ heads are not all the same. When I feel he is hesitant I have to make a choice, we decided it together, he did not feel like it and went home. I have to accept it, I can convince them for a while, but then in life relationships are important. Since I’ve been in this business not having much medical knowledge, if a person is not well I don’t have to insist. If he then leaves us a knee how can the footballer look at me. I don’t insist and it is right for him to go home.”

Chiesa this season at Liverpool has played 32 games, almost always entering the field in the final of Slot’s team matches. In the league he has played as a starter on only one occasion.