Arne Slot explanation of Federico Chiesa problems at Liverpool causes 'embarrassment' in Italy
Arne Slot's explanation of Federico Chiesa's absence from the last four Liverpool matches has caused 'embarrassment' in Italy. The Reds head coach is hoping to have the former Juventus winger back in training ahead of Sunday's game against Arsenal.
Chiesa missed the wins over Bologna and Crystal Palace before the international break, as well as victories over Chelsea and RB Leipzig this past week, after picking up an unspecified injury.
And although Liverpool expect him back soon, Chiesa has struggled to train fully with their first team squad after missing most of the pre-season with his old club.
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Speaking prior to the win over Leipzig in Germany, Reds boss Slot said: "With Federico it's a bit more simple, although it is difficult, it is a bit more simple to explain. He missed pre-season, I said this many times, and going to a league that is a higher intensity than Serie A, we just faced two Italian teams so I can say this now.
"That makes it difficult for him to make the step towards the intensity levels to where the rest of the team is at the moment. It has not so much to do with the Italian league or the Premier League but so much to do with him missing the entire pre-season.
"So it is difficult for every player, when the games are constantly there, to build up players to the levels we are at. It's difficult to say but it is a big disappointment that he is going in and out of the training sessions all the time.
"So I feel sorry for him but he signed a long-term contract, so we will see what he brings for us. At the moment, unfortunately for us he has been in the team selection one or two times and no more than that."
Federico Chiesa joined Liverpool on a £12.5m deal from Juventus in late August and, while there had been concerns over his injury record prior to his move to Anfield, it's his ability to keep up with the intensity in England that has worried the Italian press.
And under a headline that read "Slap from Slot", Tuttosport explained how Chiesa's absence has exposed a bigger issue for Italian football.
As translated by Sports Witness, they said: "It’s now too common to feel embarrassed when comparing the intensity of one of our teams to that of an English, a German, a Spanish or even a French team."
They claim Chiesa is now working hard to get himself up to speed with his Liverpool team-mates. The Reds travel to the Emirates on Sunday to face Arsenal in a huge Premier League match.