Anfield prepares for a night of high-stakes European drama as Liverpool welcome Galatasaray for the second leg of their Champions League knockout tie, desperate to overturn a deficit and reignite a stuttering campaign.
While the Merseyside faithful will be banking on another historic turnaround, the Turkish giants arrive from Istanbul brimming with confidence, intent on proving they are far more than mere pushovers on the continental stage.
This does have all the makings of being a crucial match-up, with Liverpool needing to win to take some of the considerable heat off Arne Slot in the Reds dug-out.
Indeed, the Dutchman is under significant pressure to turn around his side’s waning season, with a Champions League exit at the round of 16 stage a nightmare scenario, considering the underperforming Reds are just fresh off a dire 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool FC: Champions League home record (at Anfield):
| Category | Record/Stat |
| All-time home matches | 124 |
| Wins | 86 |
| Draws | 22 |
| Losses | 16 |
| Win percentage | 69.4% |
Of course, Anfield does have a magical reputation in Europe’s premier competition for being a fortress, with a mighty 86 wins collected across 124 home matches in the Champions League, so that might stand Slot and Co. in good stead to pick up a much-needed victory on Wednesday night.
Whatever happens, it’s set to be an enthralling night on Merseyside, and here is everything you need to know ahead of the tense showdown.
How to watch
In the UK, the Champions League match-up will be shown on TNT Sports 1.
Kick-off is at 8pm GMT, with the pre-match coverage starting at 7pm GMT.
Recent form
Liverpool
As has been mentioned above, Liverpool enters this clash tonight low on confidence.
Across their last five matches in all competitions, only two wins have been secured, with their last match at Anfield ending in misery, as former Everton menace Richarlison bagged a late equaliser for Spurs in a 1-1 draw.
The 1-0 loss suffered at RAMS Park in the first leg is also relatively fresh, with Liverpool needing to be far more switched on and focused to try and break down the resilient visitors under the Anfield lights, this time around.
When Liverpool are at their very best on their own turf, they are hard to contain, with a blistering 12 goals put away during recent victories over Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, and West Ham United.
But it remains to be seen whether this free-flowing version of Reds comes to the surface against Oran Buruk’s away side, or if another passive performance will be unfortunately served up.
Galatasaray
After all, the Super Lig league leaders have already shown themselves to be a very stern opponent during that slim first-leg victory.
Buruk’s men have actually been in flawless form across their last five matches, with four victories falling into their lap back in league action, away from the toppling of Slot’s feeble visitors.
Victor Osimhen will be raring to go in his bid to break Liverpool hearts again, with the ex-Napoli marksman bagging one of Gala’s three strikes last time out, as İstanbul Başakşehir were swatted aside with ease in a 3-0 win.
He was the difference-maker back in September when the Turkish giants picked up another 1-0 victory over the Reds in the league phase of the competition, and Buruk will hope he can be at his best once more to sneak a goal at Anfield.
If not, there is always Mario Lemina to lean on, who broke the deadlock during the feisty first leg.
Team news
Liverpool: Joe Gomez (doubt), Alexander Isak (out), Giovanni Leoni (out), and Wataru Endo (out)
Galatasaray: Davinson Sanchez (suspended), and Enes Büyük (out)
Predicted lineups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Nguhoma; Ekitike
Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Singo, Bardakcı, Singo, Elmali; Torreira, Gabriel Sara; Yilmaz, Akgun, Lang; Osimhen
What has been said
Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Ahead of the tricky second leg, Slot was relentlessly questioned about his precarious future at Anfield and the pressures of the job ahead.
He responded by stating: “Of course I feel pressure, we all feel pressure. In this industry every single day there’s pressure.
We are working at a beautiful club with great history and we can achieve quarter-finals of CL. But it’s also nice to have this pressure as it would otherwise mean we are out or at a lower level. We embrace this pressure.
He will be boosted by the return of Ibrahima Konate, though who can hopefully offer the hosts more steel, in attempting to deal with the likes of Osimhen.
Slot said, when speaking about the Frenchman’s fitness: “He’s okay now and back to 100%. He is declared completely fit and doesn’t feel any discomfort.
He is ready to start and hopefully he can play 90 minutes or even longer.”
Andy Robertson (Liverpool)
Robertson also took questions from the media in the pre-match build-up, with the Scotsman all too aware of how crucial a game the showdown is.
He said: “We believe this squad is good enough to be in last eight of Champions League but we have to show it.
We didn’t show it enough last week, we struggled all over the pitch and the performance level has to go up.
In the Champions League we’ve had good performances and we have to show that again.
It’s a massive game as it’s the next game, but it’s massive because we believe we can get through the tie.
It’s up to all of us to produce a performance and send the fans home happier.”
Oran Buruk (Galatasaray)
The Galatasaray manager has been attempting to get into the heads of the hosts in the build-up, with Buruk labelling Liverpool as the favourites, despite his side’s one-goal headstart.
He has boldly said: “I think every team in the last 16 is strong and that is why they are here.
Liverpool are still the favourites but we have shown, like against Juventus, that if we unite our game with the fans that we have very good players and can hurt any team and fight them.”
