Liverpool were involved in a roller-coaster evening of Champions League football on Wednesday as the League Phase drew to a close.
The final matchday of the new-look first round of the competition had been much anticipated, with 18 games being played out at the same time.
And it’s safe to say that the Champions League – as it so often does – delivered.
For Liverpool, their meeting with PSV had little riding on it. With the Reds already guaranteed a top two finish, Arne Slot took a young Liverpool squad to Eindhoven.
One of the more experienced players jetting out to the Netherlands was Federico Chiesa, who was given his first start since September 25th.
Chiesa was lively during the opening exchanges and was involved in both of Liverpool’s first-half goals. But, unfortunately for the Italian, he did appear to pick up an issue, too.
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Federico Chiesa spotted ‘struggling’ vs PSV
It was fantastic to see Chiesa get his start after more than four months of being drip-fed minutes here and there.
The 27-year-old has been lively in his bit-part appearances and that continued at the Philips Stadion as he raced up and down the Liverpool right.
Having won the penalty which Cody Gakpo converted, Chiesa then had his shot parried into the path of Harvey Elliott who swept home the Reds second of the night.
But after doing so well to win the penalty, there was concern for the Italy international who stayed down.
After picking up something of a reputation for being injured far too often, it was a worry as Chiesa hobbled away. And according to journalist Lewis Steele, the No.14 was spotted ‘pointing to his heel’ in the moments that followed.
“Federico Chiesa is struggling and has been over to Arne Slot and the bench a couple of times, pointing at his heel – but he’s still on the pitch for now,” Steele wrote on X.
Federico Chiesa plays on after knock
Having done so well during the opening exchanges, it would have been typical had Chiesa gone off with an injury against PSV.
However, despite not looking totally convincing in the moments after his knock, Chiesa soldiered on for Liverpool.
He switched sides after Gakpo’s second-half substitution and took his chance to show what he can offer the Reds.
Given Chiesa played on throughout the second-half, it’s safe to say that whatever was troubling him during the first-half was no longer a worry as the game wore on.
