Today’s Euro squad reveal was incredibly telling for who it did and didn’t include, as it confirmed the club’s 23 names picked to travel to Belgium.

There were no surprise exclusions, with all surplus players such as Katic, Middleton and Simpson mitted, and all summer signings were included.

This list was deeply telling:

The limit on CL squads is 25, but Giovanni deliberately left a bunch of players out, and included Alfredo Morelos who only has a slim to zero chance of making any minutes in either leg.

So he used up a space on Morelos, and actually omitted two vacant slots entirely, electing for a 23-man squad including all three club goalkeepers.

Taking three stoppers and leaving Katic at home despite two vacant slots confirms the end for the Croat and he isn’t part of Gio’s plans going forward. And much the same for the shock omission of Pole Zukowski, unless he is currently injured. It otherwise doesn’t look like he’s in the picture at all.

It also confirms Rabbi Matondo is ok to travel, and that Scott Wright and Fashion Sakala, whatever fans think of them, remain useful squad players and have their purposes – they both travel.

But it did look streamlined, and ready to face the Belgians next week.

In Gio We Trust.