Liverpool’s Champions League fate could come down to moments of individual brilliance in the coming weeks, and Graeme Souness knows it.
Ahead of the Galatasaray first leg, the former Liverpool captain was discussing the European picture, and how the struggles of Mohamed Salah could hurt their chances of a deep run.
Hours before kickoff, he appeared on talkSPORT to address the Egyptian, a possible solution, and Liverpool’s chances of winning the Champions League.
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He began with Salah: “You have to point out that Salah has not turned up this year. The numbers tell you that. How many games in the last seven years has he been the difference in terms of creating or scoring a goal that would change a game?
“That’s a that’s a big problem for them. Replacing that.”
Graeme Souness thinks Alexander Isak could make up for Salah struggles
Alexander Isak arrived at Anfield last summer for a record-breaking £125 million fee, but has spent most of the season watching on from the sidelines.
Salah’s decline at Liverpool this season has left them lacking in the goals department, where Isak might have been able to cancel out the deficit.
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As Souness puts it: “Isak who I think is a player and has proven he can play in our league, is fragile and he’s been out. That might have made a big difference if he had been replacing Salah’s goals.”
Of course, Isak is due to return from injury in the coming weeks and should be back in contention for the next round if Liverpool can get past Galatasaray.
That will be a massive boost in a competition where individual talent can triumph over any side.
Alexander Isak is taken off injured during Liverpool's Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur
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Graeme Souness says Liverpool can win the Champions League
Salah’s struggles and Isak’s absence have made it hard to get too optimistic about getting past the likes of PSG, Man City and Bayern Munich on this side of the bracket, but there’s a world in which everything comes together late in the season.
Having a full complement of attackers and a defence that has started to look more cohesive would give Liverpool every chance of making it to the final in Budapest.
Souness agrees, explaining: “They’ll have to stick together at this time. And I’ll say this to finish because I’m talking a lot. It would not be beyond them to win the Champions League, because they’ve still got that 90 minutes of greatness in them, and it could happen whenever.”
How far will Liverpool go in this year’s Champions League?
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
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2017/18 – Runners-up
2018/19 – Winners
2019/20 – Last-16
2020/21 – Quarter-final
2021/22 – Runners-up
2022/23 – Last-16
2024/25 – Last-16
2025/26 – ?
The magic of knockout competition is that form goes out the window. Liverpool, despite finishing third in the league phase, have not been one of the strongest sides in Europe this season — like PSG last year and Madrid during many of their journeys to the trophy.
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