‘Excuses of the defeated’ – Enrico Chiesa speaks out about how Federico truly feels at Liverpool | OneFootball

Federico Chiesa hasn’t had the most ideal first season at Liverpool, making only 11 appearances (with three starts) since his move to Anfield in late August.

He found the net in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley recently, but it wasn’t one to celebrate as it came in stoppage time during a 2-1 defeat on a wretched evening for the Reds.

There was even speculation in January that he could make a prompt return to Serie A just a few months after leaving Juventus for Merseyside, although his father has now come out to insist that such rumours are well wide of the mark.

What did Chiesa’s dad have to say?

Enrico Chiesa – himself a former Italy international who had a prominent playing career with the likes of Parma, Fiorentina and Lazio – gave an interview to Tuttosport in which he proclaimed that Federico is quite happy with his lot at Liverpool.

The 54-year-old said: “Federico is doing great in Liverpool. He is in a top club that is first in the league and now we hope they win the Premier League! He is there to play his cards; he has a great chance.

“This summer I told him what I have been telling him since he was little. In reality, until he was 15 he didn’t play often and when he asked me ‘What should I do?’, I told him to keep training, not to give up, to be ready when his time came.”

When asked if the Reds’ number 14 had any doubts about leaving Juventus seven months ago, Enrico shot back: “Regrets are the excuses of the defeated. No, no regrets.”

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Is it time for Slot to put more faith in Chiesa?

Of course Chiesa would like to have played more in his first season at Liverpool, but having not had a proper pre-season due to being frozen out in Turin prior to his move last summer, Arne Slot has been careful not to overload the 27-year-old during a hectic campaign in which the Reds have played in four competitions.

However, with the Italian having spent the international break at the AXA Training Centre rather than jetting off for Azzurri duty, and with LFC having just nine more matches to play this term, maybe the head coach will be more inclined to release the handbrake when it comes to managing the forward’s minutes.

Even before finding the net at Wembley last weekend, Chiesa had a bright cameo off the bench and looked far sharper than many of his attacking teammates who floundered against Newcastle.

Having seen Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez all struggle for form in recent weeks (six goals in 49 appearances combined in 2025), maybe it’s time that Slot puts more faith in the former Juventus star, who deserves to have some prolonged good fortune go his way after having virtually no luck at all since coming to Liverpool.

Hopefully we’ll see the 27-year-old making up for lost time in the run-in to what could still be a glorious season for the Reds.