Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has left both Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo out of his Champions League squad and Jamie Carragher fears the worst

Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo are 'never going to play for Liverpool' after being overlooked for the Champions League squad, according to club icon Jamie Carragher. The duo are yet to feature for the Reds this season, and have not been included in the 25-man squad submitted to UEFA on Friday.

Chiesa has been sidelined for the first two games due to a back injury. The winger is expected to return to fitness soon, but may have to be patient for his chance.

Endo has returned to fitness after an ankle injury disrupted last season. The Japan international midfielder has been left on the bench for the first two Premier League games. It has now emerged that neither player will be featuring for Liverpool in the Champions League in the first half of the season.

They have been overlooked in favour of Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, all three of whom are continuing their recoveries from long-term injuries and are not expected back until later this year. Twenty-one-year-old midfielder James McConnell has also been handed a squad place ahead of both Chiesa and Endo, despite having made no first-team appearances since the 2024/25 season.

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher said: "Liverpool have got two players in the squad who are never going to play. And there are all these quotas, you can only have 17 players and all that.

"They have got Chiesa and Endo. It's like they are never going to kick a ball."

He added: "Endo should have been moved on. He has done great, a bit of a cult hero."

Injury restricted Endo to just 12 appearances across all competitions last season. Chiesa featured 36 times, netting three goals, though the majority of those outings came as a second-half substitute from the bench.

While they have been omitted from the Champions League squad - ruling them out of Wednesday night's clash against Atletico Madrid (8pm kick-off) - both were included in the Liverpool squad registered with the Premier League.

Endo could therefore make his first outing of the season when Liverpool make the trip to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town on Friday night (8pm kick-off). Chiesa may also get his chance in the Premier League once he has recovered from his injury.