I'd rather they just pick Chiesa in that slot to be honest.
I know Achilles surgeries have advanced significantly but its such a massive risk unless he is targeting that last group game but even then why risk it?
tbh I'd be inclined to include Chiesa too, unless the briefings from the medical staff are they reckon Ekitike can get match-fit prior to the final 2 games.
Unless there's a serious injury crisis it's unlikely to really matter. Iraola (like Slot) is far more likely to re-configure whoever is available among his preferred attacking players (Wirtz, Munoz, Isak, Gakpo, Barcola) than give Chiesa CL minutes.
In the squad of 25 players named in List A you have to include a minimum of eight ‘locally trained’ squad members. I think it's the guys I've bolded below.
So it's unclear whether McConnell made the squad ahead of Endo purely because he's "locally trained". Feels like that's probably the case.
Youngsters such as Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni aren’t on List A as they can be named on List B given their age.
Alisson, Mamardashvili,
Woodman,
Jaros;
Gomez, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez,
Bradley, Leoni, Tsimikas,
Frimpong, Araujo,
Chambers,
Mabaya;
Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Munoz, Gravenberch,
McConnell;
Isak, Gakpo, Ekitike, Barcola.
