Arne Slot has only been Liverpool manager for a short time but already people can see the way he deals with players, the way he talks to them, the way he handles anger and disappointment. And this week the test came with Federico Chiesa. The Italian star, a man who scored the winning goal on the opening day against Bournemouth, a man who arrived with big reputation, was left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad. He was not happy, he was hurt, but the way Slot managed the situation showed everything about his character as a coach and as a person.
It shocked many fans when they saw the squad list. Chiesa was not there. Instead, 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, the boy from Chelsea’s academy, was included. People asked questions. Why would you leave out a Euro 2020 winner for a teenager with no European experience? The answer was complicated. Liverpool had to deal with squad rules, homegrown numbers, and new signings. If Marc Guehi had arrived on deadline day, things might have been different. Giovanni Leoni would have been the one to miss out. But because that transfer collapsed, Slot had to make a painful decision. The pain fell on Chiesa.
Slot admitted openly that Chiesa was disappointed. He said before the Burnley game that it is one of the hardest parts of management, to look a player in the eye and tell him he will not play. Not just not start, not just be on the bench, but not even be in the squad. He explained it, he told Chiesa the reasons. Chiesa listened, he did not pretend to agree, but he also did not explode. He gave the answer a manager wants to hear, that he will still fight, he will still help in the league and in the cups. And then, most importantly, he proved it by training hard, showing professionalism, showing he still wants to be part of the team. For Slot, that is gold.
The story reminded one man of his own experience with Slot. Cyriel Dessers, the Nigerian striker, remembered Feyenoord days when he too was dropped for Bryan Linssen. He was angry, he came on late in a freezing match with the wrong attitude. Many managers would have shouted, many would have punished. But Slot came to sit beside him on the bus. He spoke calmly, he explained, he showed empathy. That conversation changed Dessers’ view of football and of Slot. He said it is worth its weight in gold to have a manager who understands that players are human. Sometimes fans forget that, media forget that, football is hard and often cruel. Slot showed humanity, and that is what made Dessers believe in him.
Now Liverpool see the same. Chiesa is hurt but he is not broken. Slot has made sure of that. Instead of anger burning into poison, the anger is turning into motivation. Chiesa knows he is valued even if not selected. He knows the door is not closed. And he knows Slot respects him enough to tell the truth, not hide behind empty words. That is why this story matters. It is not about one player left out, it is about how a new manager sets the tone in a dressing room full of stars and egos. Klopp had his way, now Slot shows his.
For Chiesa it is still painful. He came to Liverpool to play Champions League, to play under the lights of Anfield against the best. He dreamed of goals in Europe, he dreamed of big nights. Now he must watch as others do it. But the season is long. Injuries, suspensions, form, everything can change. Slot made a tactical choice now, but tomorrow it could be different. The Italian knows that if he stays fit and ready his chance will come. The real question is how he reacts. And so far, he is reacting like a professional.
Related Posts:
Liverpool’s first game is Atletico Madrid at Anfield, a clash that will test the new Slot era on the biggest stage. Chiesa will not be there, but his absence will hang over the match. Fans will watch Ngumoha and wonder if the teenager can handle the pressure. They will watch the attack and wonder if Chiesa’s energy could have made a difference. And all the while, Slot will watch Chiesa’s attitude, because how he trains, how he supports his teammates, will tell more than anything about his character.
It is easy to forget how hard these decisions are. Managers are not robots, players are not robots. Behind every choice is a man’s pride, a man’s ambition, a man’s feelings. Slot himself said it clearly: to drop a player is painful, to exclude him from the squad is even worse. But this is football, and football is ruthless. The best managers are the ones who can soften the ruthlessness with empathy, who can make players accept even when they do not agree. Slot is showing he can be that kind of manager.
For Liverpool, this moment is also about the future. Chiesa is 27, an experienced international, but Rio Ngumoha is 17, a boy with a future. Slot is making a statement, that he believes in youth, that he believes in building for tomorrow as well as today. It is a risk, yes, but it is also a message. Liverpool will not just rely on big names, they will trust the next generation. And sometimes that means painful sacrifices, even for stars like Chiesa.
Fans are divided. Some say Chiesa should have been included, that experience matters in Europe, that Slot made a mistake. Others say trust the manager, trust the process, give the young players a chance. Either way, nobody doubts that Slot has the courage to make tough calls. That is what leaders do. And when fans see Chiesa working hard in training despite the disappointment, they respect him more. They see a man who puts the team first, even when he is hurting. That is the Liverpool way, and Slot is protecting it.
Dessers’ story on the bus is more than just a memory. It is a mirror of what Chiesa is living now. A player left out, a manager explaining with calm honesty, a player feeling the anger drain away because he is treated like a human. That is why people believe Slot will succeed at Liverpool. He is not just a tactician, he is not just a coach with ideas, he is a man who can handle men. That skill is rare, and it can decide everything in a long season full of egos, pressure and pain.
The Champions League journey is only starting, but already drama surrounds Liverpool. Chiesa’s name will be spoken before every game, his absence will be noticed. But in the background, the bond between manager and player is being tested and maybe strengthened. If Slot can keep him motivated, if Chiesa can respond with goals in the league and the cups, then when the knockout stages come, maybe he will be the one to shine. Football is long, and stories twist in ways nobody expects.
For now, Liverpool prepare for Atletico, Slot shows his courage, Chiesa shows his professionalism, and the fans watch closely. They know what is at stake. This is more than a squad list, it is the beginning of a new era, an era where Arne Slot proves he can manage Liverpool not just on the pitch, but in the heart of the dressing room. And that is why this story matters so deeply.
