why the Italy star is not available for Liverpool

Federico Chiesa is still unavailable for Liverpool and Arne Slot explains that the Italian star needs time to “step up to the intensity levels of the rest of the team” after missing the entire pre-season at Juventus.

church joined Liverpool from Juventus in the final days of the summer transfer window but has only played three games for Liverpool this season.

The Italian winger was not in Thiago Motta’s plans in Turin, so he did not train with the Juventus first team last summer.

Chiesa is unavailable for Liverpool, who visit RB Leipzig in Round 3 of the Champions League this evening.

The Reds coach, Slot, explained on Tuesday why the Italian is still sidelined.

Chiesa injury explained: Why the Italy star is unavailable for Liverpool

“With Federico it’s a little simpler; although it is more difficult, but it is a little simpler to explain. He missed a whole pre-season, I said it many times, and he went to a league where the intensity could even be higher than the Italian league. We’ve just faced the two Italian teams (Milan and Bologna in the Champions League) so I can say that now,” he said, as quoted by Liverpool.com.

“That makes it difficult for him to step up to the intensity levels that the rest of the team is at at the moment. This is not so much to do with the Italian League or the Premier League, this is more to do with missing a whole pre-season and that is so difficult for all players – when the games are constantly there – to build them towards the levels we are at.

“So it’s hard to say, but it’s a big disappointment for him to be in and out of training all the time. I feel sorry for him,” the Liverpool manager continued.

“But he signed a long-term contract, so we’ll see what he brings. But for now, unfortunately for him, he’s been in the squad once or twice and nothing more than that.”

Chiesa has provided an assist in three Liverpool games this season.

He has not played for Italy since last summer’s Euros, as Luciano Spalletti left him out of the Azzurri squad for the last four Nations League games, also due to fitness issues.

The 26-year-old scored 47 goals and provided 43 assists in 235 Serie A games for Fiorentina and Juventus.