Tottenham Confirm Richarlison Decision Before Liverpool Match 2026

Key Points

• Richarlison won’t feature in Tottenham’s squad for the Carabao Cup clash against Liverpool.
• This revelation comes after Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi stated that there’s been no change in Richarlison’s status.
• Richarlison was excluded from Tottenham’s squad of 25 for the Premier League last week.
• However, unlike the Premier League, the Carabao Cup regulations permit selection of a contracted player who doesn’t form part of the Premier League squad.
• As such, Richarlison would still be available for Tottenham’s match against Liverpool despite him being left out of the Premier League squad.
• ESPN reported that Richarlison turned down the option to play for Vasco da Gama on Friday.
• Richarlison has not played for Tottenham in the Premier League in the 2026–27 season, according to ESPN.
• Richarlison has scored four times in the past seven encounters against Liverpool while playing for Tottenham.
• The above decision has come at a time when it is rumored that he is not a part of Tottenham’s plans anymore and could leave soon.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) September 14, 2026 – Richarlison will not feature for Tottenham Hotspur in their Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool, despite being eligible to play in the competition after his omission from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that the Brazilian forward would not be selected for Tuesday’s fixture at Anfield. The decision means Richarlison will remain outside Tottenham’s first-team plans following a difficult period that has included his exclusion from the Premier League squad and the collapse of a possible move away from the club.

As reported by ESPN, De Zerbi said: “Richarlison, you already know everything and nothing change for Carabao Cup or Premier League. The situation is the same.”

The manager’s statement indicates that Richarlison’s exclusion applies to both domestic competitions. Although the Carabao Cup regulations would have permitted Tottenham to select him, De Zerbi has decided not to include him in the squad.

Why was Richarlison eligible to play against Liverpool?

Richarlison was left out of Tottenham’s 25-man Premier League player list submitted earlier in September. Under Premier League squad regulations, that omission prevented him from representing Tottenham in league matches unless specific eligibility rules applied.

The Carabao Cup operates under different registration requirements. According to FourFourTwo, players who are legally contracted to their clubs can be eligible for the competition even if they are not included in a Premier League squad of 25 players.

That rule created a possible route back into senior football for Richarlison. He could have been considered for Tottenham’s match against Liverpool because his contract with the club remained active. His exclusion from the Premier League squad did not automatically prevent him from appearing in the Carabao Cup.

However, the competition’s regulations only made Richarlison available for selection. They did not require Tottenham to include him. De Zerbi’s confirmation shows that the club chose not to use that option.

What did Roberto De Zerbi say about Richarlison’s situation?

De Zerbi said there had been no change in Richarlison’s position at Tottenham. His comments followed reports that the forward could return to the squad for the Liverpool match because of the difference between Premier League and Carabao Cup rules.

The Tottenham manager had previously said that Richarlison’s absence from the Premier League squad was not his decision. According to BBC Sport, De Zerbi said on September 3: “It was not my decision. It is the normal decision.”

The Italian manager also said Richarlison had expressed a desire to leave Tottenham during pre-season. BBC Sport reported that De Zerbi said the player had spoken to him at the beginning of pre-season and explained that he wanted to depart.

Those comments provide context for the latest decision. They suggest that Richarlison’s current position is linked to the player’s reported desire to leave, as well as Tottenham’s decision regarding its registered squad.

De Zerbi’s latest statement, reported by ESPN, makes clear that the situation has not changed sufficiently for Richarlison to be restored to the matchday group for the Liverpool cup tie.

How has Richarlison’s Tottenham situation developed?

Richarlison’s future at Tottenham became uncertain after he was omitted from the club’s 25-man Premier League squad. The decision followed the summer transfer window, during which the Brazilian was linked with a possible move away from north London.

FourFourTwo reported that Richarlison had not featured for Tottenham since August 26, when he was an unused substitute during the club’s 5–1 Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic. Although he remained contracted to the club, he was subsequently left outside the regular first-team group.

The forward’s exclusion from the Premier League squad also meant that the Carabao Cup represented one of his few possible opportunities to play competitive senior football before the next transfer window. His eligibility under the cup’s regulations raised the possibility that Tottenham might use him against Liverpool.

That possibility has now been ruled out by De Zerbi’s decision.

Reports also stated that Richarlison turned down a move to Vasco da Gama on Friday. The proposed transfer would have offered a possible return to Brazil, but the move did not go ahead.

ESPN reported that Richarlison was not part of Tottenham’s first-team plans after failing to secure a departure. The report also noted that he had rejected the move to Vasco da Gama before the Liverpool match.

What is Richarlison’s record against Liverpool?

Richarlison has scored four goals in seven meetings with Liverpool while playing for Tottenham, according to ESPN.

That record would have made his potential inclusion a notable factor before the Carabao Cup fixture. However, Tottenham have decided not to select him despite his previous success against the Merseyside club.

The decision is also significant because Tottenham have yet to score in the Premier League during the 2026–27 campaign, according to ESPN. Richarlison’s absence therefore comes at a time when the club’s attacking options are under scrutiny.

His record against Liverpool does not change the club’s decision, but it explains why the possibility of his involvement attracted attention. Tottenham will now prepare for the match without a forward who has previously produced goals against their opponents.

What does Richarlison’s exclusion mean for Tottenham?

Richarlison’s continued absence leaves Tottenham with a reduced attacking option for the cup match. The club’s decision indicates that his current position is not simply a matter of Premier League registration.

Because Richarlison was eligible to play in the Carabao Cup, Tottenham could have selected him if the coaching staff and club hierarchy had chosen to do so. De Zerbi’s confirmation instead suggests that the wider situation surrounding the player remains unresolved.

The decision also maintains a clear separation between Richarlison and Tottenham’s senior squad. He was already left out of the Premier League list, and he will now miss a cup fixture that could have provided an opportunity for competitive action.

The club’s approach may also reflect its expectation that the player’s future will be addressed away from the pitch. Richarlison remains under contract, but the reports about his desire to leave and his demotion from the first-team group have left his role at Tottenham uncertain.

No announcement in the available reports confirms that Tottenham have terminated Richarlison’s contract or agreed a permanent transfer. The immediate position is that he remains a Tottenham player but will not be involved against Liverpool.

Could Richarlison leave Tottenham?

Richarlison’s future remains uncertain after the reported collapse of the Vasco da Gama move. Goal reported that the forward had explored legal avenues with FIFA in an attempt to terminate the final year of his Tottenham contract.

The report said Richarlison had been left out of the 25-man Premier League squad and was training with Tottenham’s Under-21s. It also linked the situation to a possible return to Brazil.

Those claims concern a separate contractual dispute and should not be treated as confirmation that Richarlison will leave Tottenham. The available reports establish that his immediate transfer attempt did not materialise and that his status within the club remains unsettled.

The next formal opportunity for a move would depend on the relevant transfer window and any agreement reached between Richarlison and Tottenham. Until then, the forward remains contracted to the club, even though he is not being selected for the Premier League or Carabao Cup squad.

Background: Why was Richarlison left out of Tottenham’s squad?

Richarlison’s exclusion followed a period of uncertainty over his future at Tottenham. According to BBC Sport, De Zerbi said the player had indicated during pre-season that he wanted to leave the club.

Tottenham then submitted a 25-man Premier League squad without the Brazilian forward. The omission meant that Richarlison could not be treated as a regular Premier League option, although the separate Carabao Cup rules left open the possibility of his selection in that competition.

His situation became more complicated after he reportedly failed to secure a transfer. FourFourTwo described the Carabao Cup as a potential route back into competitive football because its regulations do not require every eligible player to be part of a 25-man Premier League squad.

That route has now closed for the Liverpool match. De Zerbi’s comments confirm that Tottenham’s position has not changed and that Richarlison will not be restored to the senior squad for the fixture.

Prediction: How could this affect Tottenham supporters?

For Tottenham supporters, Richarlison’s exclusion means the Liverpool match will be assessed without one of the club’s most experienced forwards against that opponent. His previous record of four goals in seven meetings with Liverpool will increase interest in the attacking line-up, particularly because Tottenham have not scored in the Premier League this season, according to ESPN.

The decision also makes Richarlison’s Tottenham future more uncertain. Unless the club and player reach a new agreement, supporters may continue to see him remain outside the senior squad while his contract situation is resolved.

The immediate effect is likely to be concentrated on team selection and attacking depth. The longer-term impact will depend on whether Richarlison secures a transfer, reaches a contractual settlement or returns to consideration for Tottenham’s first-team squad. No available report confirms which of those outcomes will happen.