Galatasaray's Turkish head coach Okan Buruk looks on during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex in Istanbul on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASIN AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Galatasaray's Turkish head coach Okan Buruk looks on during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC at the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex in Istanbul on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASIN AKGUL / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool suffered a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16 first leg in Istanbul.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk celebrated his side toppling Liverpool for a second time - but admitted the latest meeting could have swung either way.
It is advantage Galatasaray in the Champions League last-16 tie after a 1-0 win over the Reds in Istanbul. Mario Lemina’s seventh-minute strike proved the difference ahead of the return clash at Anfield next week.
Liverpool did have chances throughout the game, as well as a goal disallowed by VAR. But the Turkish champions also had opportunities and a goal that was ruled out for offside.
Galatasaray have proven tricky opposition for Liverpool, having lost 1-0 in the league phase of the competition at Rams Park. Giving his assessment, Buruk said: “The score could have increased; it could have been 2-0 or 3-0. If our opponent had scored, they could have found 1-1 or 2-1. There were actually positions. It would have been a different match there. We will go there with the same emotion, the same desire, and the same passion and do our best. When you work with good intentions, the results come. We will try to continue that there. They are a very good team. They try to evaluate your mistakes very quickly. ]
“This time they will play against Tottenham on Sunday, and we will play on Saturday. We will have an extra day to rest. Let's see, we will do our best. Hopefully, we will be the ones to reach the last eight."
Galatasaray did suffer a late blow, however. Davinson Sanchez was booked in the closing stages, meaning he will be suspended for the second leg. Buruk said: "I was afraid, it didn't happen because of the card penalties. In a situation that should never happen, the foul is debatable, he showed a yellow card to Davinson. The referee honestly thought about showing a yellow card to someone. Just to show a card to someone, he unjustly showed a yellow card to Davinson. No one else received a card besides Davinson.”
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