Liverpool have given themselves an upward hill to climb in the Champions League, after succumbing to the droning cauldron in Galatasaray and offering up yet another lacklustre 90 minutes of football.
Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Champions League Last 16 First Leg | RAMS Park
March 10, 2026
Goal: Lemina 7′
Giorgi Mamardashvili – 8 (out of 10) (Man of the Match)
Pulled off a string of world class, finger tip saves in the first half and looked a strange mix of nervous and defiant, which wasn’t surprising.
Shouldn’t have been placed under the pressure he was, growing increasingly more and more frustrated with the wayward defence in front of him. The only player to give a strong account of himself.
Joe Gomez – 5
Stuck to his task and did what was asked of him. Lost the run of Victor Osimhen a few too many times, which wasn’t a good look.
Between Gomez and Konate, they made the former Napoli man look like a Ballon d’Or candidate (he very much is not).
Ibrahima Konate – 4
His recent strong resurgent form was absent in the Turkish capital, with a series of errors and a general air of uncertainty throughout.
Thought he’d helped bundle the ball over the line for the equaliser but knew very little about it – the chalking off for handball summed up Liverpool’s luck.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili punches the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Virgil van Dijk – 5
Started his 29th consecutive match across all competitions, the longest run since Jamie Carragher in 2009/10 – he’s really being put to the grind this season and turning 35 in July.
Looked concerned and irate throughout, clearly as bored as the Groundhog Day feeling as the rest of us.
Milos Kerkez – 4
Came into the match lively, gassed up by the raucous atmosphere and played himself into an early rash, and avoidable, yellow card.
Never got into it and his substitution felt imminent long before it happened.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté reacts to his mistake leads to Galatasaray's second goal but it was later disallowed for offside during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ryan Gravenberch – 5
Got crowded out and was often bypassed. Couldn’t get into the contest, which was a recurring theme all round. Not the best way to celebrate penning a new long-term contract.
Alexis Mac Allister – 5
Put in some decent challenges, but was overran. Won back possession for the Reds in a few pivotal moments but nothing came of it, as there wasn’t a system in place to capitalise.
Fruitless labour.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch with an attempt on goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Dominik Szoboszlai- 6
The only Liverpool player who actually looked self-assured and ready to engage in a competitive match of football.
Worked hard and played with that now sadly familiar air of being embarrassed by those around him.
Mohamed Salah – 5
Tried to make things happen in the opening stages but quickly grew frustrated and drowned in the noise.
Pegged back in the second half, before being hooked in favour of the pace of Frimpong. Won’t be happy with his current situation in this team and it feels like another explosion point is fast approaching.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike (L) and Galatasaray's Wilfried Singo during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Florian Wirtz – 4
Still playing himself back into full match fitness, but missed a poor clean-cut opportunity in the first half by tamely slotting straight at the goalkeeper.
Scuppered too many opportunities and never really got into it as the game plan failed to materialise. An evening to forget on his return to the XI after a back issue.
Hugo Ekitike – 6
Went close on several occasions, showed silk and finesse, plus the willingness to drive the ball forward, but nothing came off.
Found himself more and more restricted as Liverpool lost all hope of momentum and looked furious by the final whistle.
Overall Team Performance – 4
Substitutes
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is replaced by substitute Jeremie Frimpong during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Andy Robertson (on for Kerkez, 60′) – 5 – Came on as a much needed switch for Kerkez, but almost committed a misplaced howler within minutes. Steadied himself but couldn’t do much to steady the wayward circus.
Jeremie Frimpong (on for Salah, 60′) – 5 – Thrust on as a panic winger switch once more, with the aim of using his pace to get down the touchline.
Didn’t see a great deal of the ball and Liverpool didn’t have the structure to bring him into the action anyway.
Cody Gakpo (on for Wirtz, 73′) – 5 – Ineffective, didn’t have much time or cooperation to make things happen.
Subs not used: Jones, Misciur, Morrison, Nallo, Ngumoha, Nyoni, Woodman
Arne Slot – 4
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
A really poor evening which helps Liverpool’s current malaise in no way at all.
European evenings are notoriously unpredictable but it’s always something of a given when you travel away to Turkey – crackling atmosphere, animosity, big occasion, an opposition playing like it’s a final.
Liverpool and Arne Slot knew all this, yet turned up with the same tepid approach we’ve seen far too often, and were rightly picked off as a result.