Galatasaray v Liverpool – Champions League Match Preview – KopTalk

Galatasaray and Liverpool renew acquaintances on Tuesday night time in Istanbul, assembly for the primary time since December 2006. That recreation completed 3-2 in favour of the Turkish giants, and it stays Liverpool’s final go to to the Ali Sami Yen Sports activities Complicated. The Reds are nonetheless trying to find a primary win away to Galatasaray, having drawn 1-1 in 2002 and shedding that 2006 conflict.

For all of Liverpool’s pedigree in Europe, Galatasaray’s current historical past towards English sides shouldn’t be dismissed. They’re unbeaten of their final three such fixtures, claiming memorable 3-2 wins towards each Manchester United and Tottenham within the Europa League. Against this, Galatasaray’s Champions League document is bleak: just one win of their final 18 matches within the competitors and at the moment enduring an eight-game winless house run at this stage. Their final victory in entrance of their very own followers got here again in September 2018 towards Lokomotiv Moscow.

Arne Slot will desire a response after Liverpool’s weekend setback at Crystal Palace – their first defeat of the season. Virgil van Dijk’s dramatic stoppage-time winner towards Atlético Madrid on Matchday 1 means the Reds can put one foot within the knockout levels with a victory right here. They’ve been ruthless within the group stage lately, successful 13 of their final 14 matches, and so they haven’t drawn a clean in such a recreation since Atalanta at Anfield again in 2020.

Liverpool’s attacking threats are clear. Mohamed Salah is simply two objectives away from turning into solely the eleventh participant to achieve 50 Champions League objectives, and the primary African to take action. Florian Wirtz, in the meantime, impressed with 5 probabilities created within the Atlético recreation – the very best open-play likelihood creation charge within the competitors over the past two seasons. Hugo Ekitiké additionally returns from suspension, wanting to proceed his vibrant begin since becoming a member of in the summertime.

Galatasaray’s personal attacking image hinges on the health of Victor Osimhen, who’s pushing to begin after ankle hassle. In his absence, Mauro Icardi has carried the load with 5 objectives in seven video games. The arrivals of İlkay Gündoğan and Leroy Sané add additional European pedigree, with Gündoğan matching a membership document for probabilities created on his Champions League debut towards Eintracht Frankfurt. Nonetheless, their 5-1 hammering in Germany on Matchday 1 underlined simply how fragile they continue to be at this stage.

Key information:

Liverpool have by no means received away at Galatasaray (D1, L1).
Galatasaray have just one victory of their final 18 Champions League matches.
Liverpool have scored in 23 consecutive group-stage video games, netting 56 objectives in that run.
Salah sits on 48 Champions League objectives, two in need of the half-century mark.

Opta Supercomputer Prediction:

The Opta supercomputer provides Liverpool a 55.8% likelihood of successful, with each a Galatasaray victory and a draw rated round 22%. Given the Reds’ consistency within the group section and Galatasaray’s ongoing struggles, the numbers recommend Liverpool ought to come away with the factors – however Istanbul isn’t a simple place to play, and the hosts will take inspiration from their document towards English opponents.