Chiesa Off the Mark Against Bournemouth - A Big Season Ahead?

Chiesa Off the Mark Against Bournemouth – Big Season Ahead?

The 2025/26 Premier League season kicked off with a thriller on Friday evening, with last season's Champions Liverpool surviving a right scare at Anfield, but they did eventually take the share of the spoils in a comfortable 4-2 fashion.

Federico Chiesa was one of the five scorers on the opening night, and not one any fan may have seen finding the net, following his record in Merseyside so far.

Nonetheless, with Luis Diaz departing for Germany, the Italian’s first Premier League goal came at a crucial time during his short tenure for the Reds, and this goal could help spur him on to rediscover that version of himself that caught the eye of fans around the world back in 2021.

37'—Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth
49'—Liverpool 2-0 Bournemouth
64'—Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
76'—Liverpool 2-2 Bournemouth
88'—Liverpool 3-2 Bournemouth
94'—Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤 🍿 pic.twitter.com/rvvWyfE6GG

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 15, 2025

A Debut Season of Struggles

Chiesa made his move to Liverpool after being left out of the Juventus squad during last summer, following Thiago Motta’s arrival in Turin and telling the Italian that he would not be part of his plans for the upcoming campaign.

The Reds winger had effectively been forced out of the Bianconeri, and eventually fled to England for a sum of £12.5m where he would look to revive his career under new manager Arne Slot.

He was three appearances into his Liverpool career, and on his third, he picked up his first contribution in a red shirt during his 60-minute cameo in the EFL Cup against West Ham. A couple days later, however, he suffered a muscle injury in training, which caused him to be sidelined for almost three months.

The Italian struggled to really fight back into the team, as he only featured a further 11 times in all competitions. He did break his duck for the Reds in early January, netting in their 4-0 thrashing of fourth tier side Accrington Stanley, before adding his second against Newcastle in the EFL Cup final, which did come in vain.

A Potential Summer Move?

There have been transfer rumours circling around Chiesa throughout June and July, with reports linking him with a return to the Serie A, after just one season in England.

Both the player and the club were open to said move, whichever club it may have been, due to the Italian’s lack of minutes and opportunities among Liverpool’s stacked frontline.

The additions of Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz made these opportunities become even more unlikely, so his departure was certainly being discussed.

However, of course, major changes occurred at the club over the summer, and in the attacking line, with the tragic passing of Diogo Jota as well as Diaz’s departure to Germany.

🚨 Federico Chiesa: “My goal is also dedicated to Arne Slot. He’s always been great with me since day one”.

“Even if I get only 10 or 15 mins, I must show I’m ready and able to do my best in order to play with this team”. pic.twitter.com/SS3y4Ialzz

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 16, 2025

This left Chiesa with a chance to stay and prove himself, which is exactly what Fabrizio Romano revealed that he had chosen to do. Arne Slot said in an interview that ”The day Luis Diaz left, Chiesa decided to take on his personal challenge. Liverpool’s focus shifted towards a centre forward, not a winger, and at that moment he resolved to stay and prove himself” , which is exactly what he did on the opening night of the Premier League season.

Will the Bournemouth Goal Shift His Career Trajectory?

After working hard during pre-season, and having to prove himself to play an important role following the selling of the Colombian to Bayern Munich, he came on as a late sub at Anfield with the score at 2-2 and the visitors piling on the pressure.

As the Cherries scampered to get rid of the ball, it fell to the Italian just inside the 18-yard box as he powered a slightly skewed half-volley into the far right corner to give the Reds three points in a thrilling opener.

🇮🇹💥 The moment Federico Chiesa (27) got his FIRST Premier League goal and put Liverpool back in the lead vs Bournemouth. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/STP1Vd9p9C

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) August 16, 2025

Talk about an impact sub, Chiesa’s cameo was simply sensational, and he has certainly earned some brownie points for that goal at least.

He will certainly earn some more minutes than he got last season, providing he can stay fit for the next nine months. With Liverpool’s schedule only getting busier, Slot will be forced into rotating fairly often, granting frequent opportunities to the fringe players such as Chiesa to prove themselves.

There is plenty for the Italian to prove, and that goal alone is not going to immediately gift him a starting spot in the next game. However, the goal is not only good for the player’s confidence, but also for the team’s, with four of Liverpool’s frontline forwards all bagging on the opening day.