Liverpool’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Galatasaray ended in a 1-0 defeat, with the Turkish side taking the lead through former Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina. The result leaves the tie salvageable, but Liverpool were distinctly second best for the first three-quarters of the match, raising concerns about their ability to progress.
Arne Slot’s side struggled to create chances from open play, relying heavily on set-pieces. However, the Spanish referee’s strict interpretation of fouls in the box frustrated Liverpool, with Slot noting that every corner or free-kick involving a Galatasaray player resulted in a free-kick. A shirt-pull on Virgil van Dijk went unpunished during a tangle that led to a disallowed Liverpool goal.
Galatasaray’s early goal came from a corner, with Victor Osimhen heading across goal for Lemina to nod in. Slot lamented his side’s habit of conceding to the first meaningful attack, saying, “Their first attack led to a corner… sometimes we treat chances like we’ll get 10 chances more.” Liverpool had chances late on but failed to equalise.
The atmosphere at Rams Park was described as blood-curdling, with Slot hoping his players would be more accustomed to it after their October visit. Giorgi Mamardashvili made several good saves in Alisson’s absence, while Osimhen was denied by a VAR offside call. Liverpool had a goal ruled out for a handball by Ibrahima Konaté.
Slot acknowledged the challenge ahead, but noted the second leg at Anfield would be a different game. Galatasaray’s nervousness at the back offers Liverpool hope, though their quick counter-attacks remain a threat.
