Arne Slot discusses Liverpool’s game plan involving Federico Chiesa and Alexis Mac Allister as they prepare to face Milan…

Arne Slot discusses Liverpool’s strategy regarding Federico Chiesa and Alexis Mac Allister ahead of their match against AC Milan.

Arne Slot elaborates on Liverpool’s tactics for Federico Chiesa and Alexis Mac Allister in the context of their match against Milan.

During a press conference prior to Liverpool’s Champions League opener against AC Milan, Arne Slot addressed the situation concerning Federico Chiesa.

He confirmed that Chiesa would not be making his full debut during the match on Tuesday night.

However, the Liverpool manager suggested that the Italian forward might see his first action off the bench at the San Siro.

Since his £12 million transfer from Juventus at the end of the last transfer window, Chiesa has not yet played for Liverpool.

He has been working on his fitness with the Under-21 team during the international break and recently joined the senior squad at the AXA Training Centre last Monday.

Slot acknowledged that the 26-year-old is still in the process of regaining his full fitness and indicated that it would be unexpected for Chiesa to start against AC Milan.

“We brought him in for a reason, and I see him as a quality player,” Slot stated. “He possesses not only skill but also a tremendous work ethic.

The culture of our club emphasizes hard work, especially when we are out of possession, and I believe he embodies that while also contributing to our attacking play.”

“This is his first time being part of the team selection, and given that, it would be quite surprising for him to start tomorrow.

“While I don’t anticipate him in the starting lineup, he may get some minutes if needed, and we will assess that during the match.”

He has been training independently for quite some time and has joined our training sessions for a few weeks now.

While he has gained some experience, it is still premature for him to play a full 90 minutes. However, we are optimistic about him getting some playing time in the upcoming matches.

Slot also expressed that he has no fitness worries regarding Alexis Mac Allister following his substitution in the second half of Saturday’s unexpected 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

The Argentine midfielder had raised concerns about his fitness during the international break after being substituted post-goal against Chile, but he managed to come on as a second-half substitute in the loss to Colombia before playing a significant part in the match against Forest.

Regarding Mac Allister, Slot commented: “All my players are crucial, so every one of the 23 for the Milan match holds significance for me and the club.

I substituted Mac Allister around the 60-minute mark against Nottingham Forest, which was influenced by his limited playtime with Argentina and his recent injury absence.

“This decision was partly due to rotation. I believe he is capable of playing either 60 or 90 minutes tomorrow, and I will determine my choice then. He is just as vital as the other 22 players on the team.”