Federico Chiesa has revealed he told Arne Slot he had “no problem” with the Liverpool head coach’s decision to omit him from their Champions League squad.

The Italian, who set up both of Liverpool’s goals in their 2-1 win over Southampton on Tuesday, said he feels better physically and mentally now than in his difficult first season at Anfield.

And he said he relished the competition for places after Slot spent £200m on new strikers, in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, as he underlined why he chose to stay at Anfield and fight for his place rather than leave.

But the Italy international suffered a blow when Slot did not give him one of the 17 spots for players who are not “locally trained” in the Champions League league phase, preferring teenager Rio Ngumoha.

Chiesa said he understood, explaining: “He told me what he was thinking, why he chose to do what he did. Of course I was sorry that I am not part of the Champions League squad, as to play in it is every player’s dream. I just said to the coach: ‘ok – no problem. I will keep working hard and I will get my chances in the Carabao Cup and the Premier League’. I am a professional player, I play for Liverpool and to do that is amazing.

“I play for a top club. This is maybe one of the top three in the world. It’s Liverpool. Of course they are going to buy top players. Of course, the competition is high. If I don’t want competition, I go to another team. But I want the competition, I want to play here and I think, at the end of the day, competition helps you to become a better player.”

Chiesa scored in the Carabao Cup final last season but he only started one league game and made just six top-flight appearances following his late arrival from Juventus.

“Yeah, it was really difficult but I don’t think I was at the level the coach wanted me to play,” he added. “But I understood his choices. This year, it is different. I feel better physically and mentally. The coach has seen this and given me more opportunities.”

Chiesa has appeared four times off the bench in the Premier League, scoring a crucial goal against Bournemouth, and made the most of his start in the Carabao Cup versus Southampton.

He set up Ekitike’s winner before the Frenchman was then shown a second yellow card for his celebrations, having already been booked for dissent.