Arne Slot’s 100th match as Liverpool boss ended in defeat as Galatasaray capitalised on a sloppy display to win the first leg of this Champions League last-16 tie 1-0 on a deafening evening in Istanbul.
The Premier League champions arrived in Turkey hoping to kick-start a disappointing second season under the Dutchman, only to return home reeling from their second loss of the campaign at rocking Rams Park.
Liverpool, just like in September’s league phase encounter, fell to a 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray, where the VAR’s intervention, sloppy play and poor decisions meant Mario Lemina’s early goal secured the hosts a first leg advantage.
The midfielder headed home as Slot’s side were caught napping at a corner seven minutes into a frantic, end-to-end first half that saw Florian Wirtz waste chances before and after the opener.
‘This is the end...’ Kevin Walsh says he’ll finish Michael Conlan’s career in SSE Arena duelIt takes serious courage – Keith Andrews backs Dango Ouattara over Panenka miss
Giorgi Mamardashvili, in for injured Alisson Becker, produced some important saves and Ibrahima Konate was breathing a sigh of relief after Victor Osimhen’s second-half goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
The defender thought he had equalised, only for the VAR to adjudged he had handled to Liverpool trailing heading into next Wednesday’s second leg at Anfield.