Liverpool lose at Galatasaray in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie.
Liverpool were beaten 1-0 away at Galatasaray on Tuesday night in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie. Having lost by the same scoreline in a lacklustre league-phase encounter back in September, Arne Slot’s side again struggled in Istanbul.
Victor Osimhen, scorer in the first meeting, set up Mario Lemina from a corner to give Galatasaray the lead, and the visitors could have conceded further.
Osimhen had another effort ruled out after VAR controversially flagged Aydin Yilmaz offside in the build-up, despite him not touching the ball. Only Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane have more European goals than Osimhen this season.
Liverpool struggled to create meaningful chances. Hugo Ekitike shot straight at Ugurcan Cakır, while Florian Wirtz, on his first start since mid-February, missed two opportunities, and Alexis Mac Allister narrowly missed another.
VAR also ruled out a potential goal for handball by Ibrahima Konate, a decision Slot accepted. The result leaves Liverpool with a deficit to overturn next Wednesday at Anfield, marking the first time the Reds have lost twice away to the same opponent in a single European campaign.
Slot has since taken aim at Galatasaray following the defeat. Speaking after the game, the Dutchman said: “When they get a chance, they play as if it’s the last chance in their lives. As for us, we sometimes act as if there are ten more chances coming up. We need to learn from this lesson.”
He added: “I think we started the game really well, even better than three months ago. We were having three or four great moments, with, of course, the biggest moment when Florian [Wirtz], I didn’t see it back but it came across as almost an open goal where he could finish that ball.
“We weren’t able to score. Like last time, when we had our chances they five seconds later got their first attack, led to a corner. You have to give credit for the way when they get a chance they play as if it is the last chance of their lives.
“That is definitely something we can learn from them because we sometimes get our chances and it comes across as if we think we get 10 more.
“So we were 1-0 down and it’s already a difficult place to go if you’re 0-0, but if you are one goal down it makes it even harder for us, for everyone who’s on the pitch, except for their own players. Yeah, a 1-0 loss.” Galatasaray defender Davinson Sanchez will miss the second leg next Wednesday after picking up a yellow card.
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