Federico Chiesa’s return to the Italy national team lasted barely long enough to unpack his bags. TalkSPORT and the Italian Football Federation confirmed that the 28-year-old Liverpool winger left the Azzurri training camp at Coverciano immediately. He had just received his first call-up in nearly two years. However, staff ruled him unavailable after a fitness assessment at the Federal Technical Centre. The official FIGC statement confirmed the assessment found him unfit for the next two fixtures. Liverpool Football Club and the FIGC mutually agreed on his departure.
Italian sent home from National Camp
Gennaro Gattuso had recalled Chiesa to the squad for Italy’s crucial 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland. The team also face a play-off final or a friendly on March 31. Bologna attacker Nicolò Cambiaghi has now joined the squad to fill his place. This timing is a massive blow. His last appearance for Italy happened during the round-of-16 defeat to Switzerland at Euro 2024. This means Chiesa has now gone nearly two years without wearing the national shirt.
At the club level, Chiesa has shown some physical improvement compared to last season. He has missed only one match through injury this term. However, he has still started only five times for Arne Slot. The Italian plays mainly as a late substitute, making 27 such appearances. He contributed three goals and three assists from 32 games across all competitions this season. However, his role remains on the fringes. Reports now suggest Chiesa will almost certainly leave Liverpool in the summer of 2026.
Is Chiesa’s Anfield career already beyond saving?
The urgent question surrounding Chiesa is not just whether Italy miss him against Northern Ireland. We must ask if a player with this injury profile can truly help a club competing on four fronts. Chiesa himself admitted earlier this year that he struggled with the physical demands of the Premier League. That admission is telling. It comes from a player who built a reputation on pace and aggressiveness at Fiorentina and Juventus. It points to a deep-seated transition problem.
His strengths remain clear. Chiesa carries the ball well at pace in tight spaces. He scores in big moments and presses with high intensity. These two-footed qualities are rare among European wingers. The Italian earned a place in the Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament and scored the winner against Chelsea in 2021. That version of Chiesa was world-class.
The weakness, though, is long-term, as his body has not held up. His exit from the Italy camp comes at the worst time for Liverpool. The attacking options are thin with Salah sidelined. Furthermore, Alexander Isak has not yet returned from a leg fracture suffered three months ago.
ALSO READ: Liverpool receive boost in their interest for €50m midfielder
The reality is that Liverpool signed a talent worth far more than £10 million, but the gamble on his fitness failed. With the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on April 4, Chiesa now faces a race against time. He may not even feature in that game. For a player at the peak of his career, these setbacks suggest his body requires too much management. A top-four title contender cannot afford that. A summer departure feels inevitable. Given the evidence, it is the right outcome for everyone.
