Mancini: Chiesa could return soon but must first earn a place at Liverpool

Roberto Mancini said that Federico Chiesa could return to the Italy national team squad in the near future. Speaking at a press conference in Coverciano, the head coach stated that the player must first regain full physical fitness at his club.

Chiesa has not played for Italy since the loss to Switzerland in the round of 16 at EURO 2024. Under Gennaro Gattuso, the player was called up before the World Cup play-off qualifiers, but on the first day of the camp he left the squad and departed Coverciano. He was also left out of the young squad Silvio Baldini picked for the matches against Luxembourg and Greece. Chiesa's name is also missing from the first squad Mancini has named since returning to the role.

Mancini said he has met with the player many times and that these talks have continued recently. Mancini noted that the 29-year-old Chiesa is still in his physical prime and said he could return soon.

At the start of the 2026/27 season, Chiesa is once again struggling with injury and physical problems. After missing the first five Premier League matches due to a back injury, the player came on for only two minutes, and only once since then, at the end of the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. Chiesa has been left out of the Liverpool squad in three of the last four matches, and he was also not included in the Champions League league phase squad list for 2026/27.