There are eight players at risk of suspension for the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League tie with Galatasaray, including Curtis Jones and Victor Osimhen.
Galatasaray are walking a disciplinary tightrope going into the first leg of their round-of-16 tie against Liverpool.
Seven of the Turkiye’s top side are just one yellow card away from missing the second leg at Anfield due to UEFA‘s suspension rules.
From the beginning of the league phase, a player will receive a one-match suspension after receiving three yellow cards.
A subsequent one-match ban is then awarded upon being booked five times and seven times. These are not wiped until after the quarter-final stage.
Abdulkerim Bardakci Galatasaray PA
Liverpool have just Jones at risk currently, the midfielder having been shown a yellow against Galatasaray and Inter in the league phase.
However, Tuesday’s hosts have seven players who must watch their step.
Goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, the whole back four of Ismail Jakobs, Davinson Sanchez, Abdulkerim Bardakci and Roland Sallai, as well as striker Osimhen, are all just one yellow card away from a ban.
As is Dutch left-winger Noa Lang, who signed on loan in January having picked up two bookings in the league phase for his parent club, Napoli.
Every one of those seven started against Juventus in the last round, so manager Okan Buruk may have to rotate a couple if he wants to have his full-strength XI available at Anfield.
Of course, as always, a red card would also mean the guilty misses the next match.
Conor Bradley and Galatasaray’s Arda Unyay are both also just one yellow away from a suspension, but they will miss out through injury anyway.
Galatasaray have just beaten rivals Besiktas
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, September 30, 2025: Galatasaray supporters get very excited as the names of the players are read out during the UEFA Champions League match between Galatasaray A.?. and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. Galatasaray won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
By Joanna Durkan
The Turkish side, who have already notched a 1-0 win over the Reds this season, were involved in the Istanbul derby on Saturday, with Besiktas hosting the Super Lig fixture.
Besiktas were unbeaten in their previous 18 games heading into the fixture, but saw their run ended by a single strike from Victor Osimhen in the first half.
Okan Buruk’s side had less possession and managed four shots on target compared to Besiktas’ seven, but they did not allow the hosts to create a single big chance, as per FotMob.
Galatasaray XI vs. Besiktas
Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Sane, Sara, Yilmaz; Osimhen
They also played the final 30 minutes with 10 men after Leroy Sane was shown a straight red card after his studs landed directly on the ankle of Ridvan Yilmaz.
The win extended Galatasaray’s lead at the top of the table, moving seven points ahead of Fenerbahce, having played a game more.