Federico Chiesa, Liverpool’s only signing of last summer, has been a peripheral figure this season. It’s led to questions over whether he will even earn a medal if Arne Slot’s side wins the Premier League.
You did have to feel for Chiesa at the weekend. In different circumstances, a goal in a Wembley final could have justified the low-cost transfer gamble in one fell swoop — but with the game already almost lost by that point, it will hardly move the dial.
His impact off the bench might at least convince Slot that his supporting cast are ready for a few more minutes. Harvey Elliott got the assist, and these squad players could be crucial in ensuring that Liverpool actually has some Premier League medals to dish out come the end of the campaign.
That may seem like a foregone conclusion, with Arsenal 12 points behind and only nine games left. But fatigue is clearly taking hold at Liverpool, and it would not be a total shock if the likes of Chiesa had some more telling contributions to make before the season is done.
Should he feature in just two more Premier League games, any confusion about his eligibility for a Premier League medal will be entirely cleared up. The oft-quoted figure of five appearances is well within his sights, especially after the point he made in the Carabao Cup final.
But the reality is — and has been for some time — that Chiesa does not need to reach five games in order to earn a medal. Should Liverpool secure the title without him playing any further part, he would almost certainly receive one.
That’s because Premier League rules now stipulate that all title winners will receive 40 medals, to be distributed at their discretion. All players who have made five appearances are required to get one, but beyond that, the club can do whatever it likes.
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Indeed, Chiesa need only look as far as his fellow Wembley substitute for some encouragement. Elliott played just seven minutes in 2019/20 across two appearances, but Jurgen Klopp ensured that he got a medal.
It has been reported that this was during a time when Premier League rules still officially required players to make five appearances in order to qualify. But that is not the case, with the current regulations having been in place as far back as 2015.
On the official club site, Andy Lonergan and Caoimhin Kelleher are also listed among 26 title-winning members of the playing squad, presumably meaning they got medals. Neither played a single minute of Premier League action.
One thing the five-game threshold might impact is who receives a medal immediately at the time of the trophy ceremony. That doesn’t seem to be an official rule, but Elliott had to wait to get his, and Asmir Begovic revealed in 2017 that he needed “special dispensaton” to be awarded his at the same time as his teammates.
Chiesa will obviously hope to meet the five-game mark — to remove any lingering medal uncertainty, but mainly because he will be desperate to prove his worth. The real prize on offer is his Liverpool future.
