Liverpool will take on Turkish outfit Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg at RAMS Park on Tuesday, looking to inch closer to the quarter-finals.
Liverpool are coming into this UEFA Champions League match vs Galatasaray at RAMS Park on the back of five wins from the last six matches, and they will look to pick up a positive result away from home in the first leg.
Meanwhile, the Turkish champions are an impressive form as well, and they have picked up three wins in a row. It remains to be seen whether they can grind out a positive result at home and give themselves a good chance of getting the tide wrapped up at Anfield next week.
Cimbom are unbeaten in five of their last six matches against Liverpool, and they will fancy their chances of getting a good result here. The Premier League giants have been quite inconsistent this season and they will need to raise their performance levels in order to get a good result in the first leg. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Galatasaray
Okan Buruk has no injury concerns to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Galatasaray are likely to shape up in 4-2-3-1 system vs Liverpool, with Ugurcan Cakir in goal.
Roland Sallai and Ismail Jakobs will be deployed in the full-back spots, and they will look to protect the defensive unit and hit Liverpool on the break. Davinson Sanchez and Abdulkerim Bardakci will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Lucas Torreira and Mario Lemina will add physicality and defensive cover to the team from the middle of the park. They will look to win the ball back for their team and break up the opposition attacking moves.
Gabriel Sara will start in the attacking midfield role, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates in the final third. Baris Alper Yilmaz and Leroy Sane will be deployed in the flanks, and they will look to open up the Liverpool defence with their pace and flair. Finally, Victor Osimhen will lead the line for Galatasaray vs Liverpool on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Cakır; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Gabriel Sara, Sane; Osimhen
Liverpool
Conor Bradley (hamstring), Alexander Isak (leg), Wataru Endo (ankle), and Giovanni Leoni (knee) are ruled out with long-term injuries. Additionally, Alisson Becker misses out due to a minor fitness issue.
Liverpool will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Galatasaray, with Giorgi Mamardashvili in goal. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez will start as the full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will pair up at the heartof the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch will be deployed in the midfield pivot, and they will look to add defensive cover and control from the deep. Dominik Szoboszlai will add creativity and technical ability in the final third.
Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah will start on the flanks, and they will look to create opportunities for their teammates and find the back of the net. Finally, Hugo Ekitike will spearhead the Liverpool attack vs Galatasaray on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Ekitike
Key Stats
- Galatasaray have picked up three wins from the last three home matches against Liverpool 16 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams. The Reds have never won in three previous away games at Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League (D1 L2), only visiting Chelsea more times without ever winning in the competition (5).
- Liverpool have picked up five wins from their last six matches in all competitions.
- Galatasaray have picked up four wins from their last six matches in all competitions. The Turkish giants Galatasaray have only lost two of their 22 home matches in the knockout stages of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (W13 D7), and they are unbeaten in their last ten (W6 D4) since a defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first round in October 1973 (0-1).
- Liverpool have lost four of their last five matches in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League (W1), although the one game they did avoid defeat in was Arne Slot’s only away match in the knockout stages in charge of the Reds: 1-0 at PSG in last season’s round of 16 (first leg).
- Dominik Szoboszlai has been directly involved in eight goals in the UEFA Champions League this term (4 goals, 4 assists), more than any other Liverpool player. The only central midfielder with more in a single edition for the Reds is Steven Gerrard, who notched 10 in 2007/08 (6 goals, 4 assists).
Player to Watch
Victor Osimhen
The Nigerian attacker is our key player to watch out for. Osimhen has been exceptional for the Turkish outfit, and he could cause all sorts of problems for the English club with his movement and finishing ability. Liverpool have looked quite vulnerable, defensively this season, and they could struggle against Osimhen.
Meanwhile, Osimhen has scored seven goals in eight UEFA Champions League appearances for Galatasaray this season, just one goal shy of the most ever for a Turkish team in a single edition, which was also a Galatasaray player (8 – Burak Yilmaz in 2012/13).
The home team will depend on him to help them in the final third and guide them to a much-needed victory. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool can keep him quiet and the first leg and grind out a positive result.
Prediction
Galatasaray 2-1 Liverpool
Both teams will fancy their chances against each other, and this is likely to be a closed contest. Neither side is defensive in their approach, and this is likely to be an open game with a fair few chances for either side.
Both Galatasaray and Liverpool are likely to get on the score sheet, but the home side will certainly have an edge in their own backyard. The Reds have been quite mediocre defensively, and they could struggle here. A narrow win for the home team is on the cards this week. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Okan Buruk and his charges.
