October 29th 2024.
Unfortunately, Liverpool fans will have to wait a little longer to see Diogo Jota back in action. The talented forward sustained a rib injury during their win against Chelsea earlier this month and has been sidelined ever since. This means he will not be able to play before the November international break, according to Liverpool manager Arne Slot. In addition to Jota, Federico Chiesa is also struggling to regain full match fitness, posing a dilemma for Slot in the midst of a busy schedule.
Initially, there was hope that Jota would be able to return to the field this weekend against Brighton in the Premier League. However, Slot has now confirmed that this will not be the case. In fact, both Jota and Harvey Elliott will not be back in action until after the next international break from 11-22 November. This is undoubtedly a blow for Liverpool, as Jota has been a key player for them this season. Moreover, with a packed schedule ahead, his absence will be felt even more keenly.
In the upcoming weeks, Liverpool will have to face Brighton twice - once in the Carabao Cup and then in the Premier League. They will also have a crucial Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, led by their former star Xabi Alonso. Slot will have to rely on the likes of Mo Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo as his forward options, with Jota and Elliott out of action.
Meanwhile, new signing Federico Chiesa has also been struggling to reach full fitness since joining Liverpool from Juventus. The Italian winger has only made one brief appearance in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and a start in the Carabao Cup. He has not been included in the matchday squad since their win against Wolves on 28 September, and Slot cannot confirm when he will be fit to play again.
Regarding Chiesa's fitness, Slot mentioned that he has been experiencing ups and downs. Sometimes, he is able to train with the team for a few days, but then he suffers another injury and has to take a break. As a result, Slot does not want to put any pressure on him by setting a specific return date. He believes that with time and proper training, Chiesa will eventually regain full fitness and become an important player for the team.
However, Slot did express concern about the fitness issues of two of his forwards, especially with a string of big games coming up. With six forwards in their squad, having two injured players is certainly a worry for the Dutch manager. Nevertheless, he remains confident in the abilities of his team and is determined to find the right way to build Chiesa back up to full match fitness.
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