Antonio Cassano SLAMS Liverpool: WHAT THE F*** is going on with Federico Chiesa?

Carlo Garganese

• 12 Nov 2024 11:30 GMT
• 4 min read

Outspoken former Italy, AC Milan, Inter and Roma star Antonio Cassano has issued a foul-mouthed rant at Liverpool and Arne Slot, demanding to know “what the f***” is going on with Federico Chiesa.

Liverpool signed the Italian for just €15 million from Juventus this summer on a four-year contract.

Big things were expected from a player who was regarded one of the best in the world after leading Italy to Euro 2020 glory in 2021.

However, Chiesa has had a miserable start to life at Liverpool with injuries and physical problems meaning he has barely made any impact.

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Chiesa has played just 78 minutes of football this season over three appearances, including just one start that came in the EFL Cup. He has managed no goals and the one assist - a mishit shot.

And Cassano has demanded answers from Liverpool and Slot as he is not impressed by Chiesa’s situation.

What did Cassano say?

"You need to tell me what the f**k is happening with Chiesa,” Cassano said of Liverpool and Slot.

"A player who in 2021 was one of the best if not the best along with (Gianluigi) Donnarumma in the Italy team that won, and I thought, now he goes there, different league, he'll be fine and can play wing, can play wherever he wants and likes, but he can't even play 10 minutes in the league.

“He's physically unwell, hasn't settled in, isn't up to standard? We need to know something about this for our national team because in my opinion he's the most talented player we have.”

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In fairness to Slot, he has explained on a number of occasions in recent weeks that Chiesa has lacked the intensity required in the Premier League having come from a slower tempo in Serie A.

Slot added last week, though, that Chiesa should be back from his most recent injury layoff during this international break.

"It is difficult for a player who missed out on pre-season and playing pre-season games and training sessions. You have to give a player more time to get to the intensity levels,” Slot said.

"It is a difficult balance to get him where we want but we are trying and he is trying everything he can to get to these levels.

"Once he is at that physical level we will benefit from having him. At this moment we expect him back during the international break and then he should be with us after the international break normally."

The 27-year-old Chiesa had been considered one of the best wingers in the world after starring in Italy’s Euro 2020 victory in 2021.

However, an ACL injury in January 2022 has slowed down his career and he has never refound his form ever since returning.

New Juventus manager Thiago Motta did not consider Chiesa part of his plans and put him up for sale this past summer in what was eventually a cut-price deal.