Roberto Di Matteo On Federico Chiesa and “Fantastic Iconic” Liverpool
The Italian manager thinks Chiesa’s Liverpool move was a great choice for both club and player and is just hoping the forward can now stay fit.
Federico Chiesa has had a difficult run of it in recent seasons, with injuries hindering a player once counted amongst the best forwards in European football. A move to Liverpool from Juventus over the summer brought renewed hopes and expectations, but so far at least it’s mostly been more injury setbacks and limited playing time.
Recent weeks, though, have seen Chiesa starting to work his way into the mix—no small task when the side he’s trying to work his way into top the Champions League and Premier League tables—an Italian manager Roberto Di Matteo says he’s been keeping an eye on Chiesa with the Reds and fully believes he will rediscover his best at Liverpool.
“He is one of the best Italian players,” Di Matteo told Goal. “His only downfall has been injuries. He has always had a few in his career. If he can get fit and stay fit, he is a great player. I can see why Liverpool would sign him. It’s a great move, going to Liverpool. A fantastic iconic club—challenges for the Premier League, for the Champions League.
“But Arne Slot said that he has good competition from the guys ahead of him—Mo Salah, Luis Diaz, etc.—so it’s not so easy to get into the Liverpool team. But I think that he will be an asset for them in the second half of the season. He’s looking better now, he’s played a few games now, and so he’s a great player if he can stay fit.”
So far, Chiesa is yet to make a start in the league or Europe, but the expectation is for him to get the nod on Wednesday when the Reds face PSV in the final league phase game of the Champions League with a chance to lock up first place heading into the knockout rounds but no meaningful difference should they slip to second in the final table.
That position will mean a chance to manager Arne Slot to rest, rotate, and give a few of his very, very good squad players a chance to show what they can do on the biggest European stage against an opponent that head into the match needing a result to ensure they advance to the knockout rounds of Europe’s premier cup competition.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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