Galatasaray vs Liverpool Champions League preview, team news and prediction

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Liverpool continue their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, facing Galatasaray at RAMS Park in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. The Reds currently sit sixth in the Premier League but will be encouraged by their third-place finish in the Champions League league phase. However, they face a tough challenge, as Galatasaray already defeated them 1-0 in September 2025.

Galatasaray reached the knockout stage after a dramatic playoff against Juventus, advancing 7-5 on aggregate after extra time, despite Juventus playing with 10 men for much of the second half. A key disadvantage for the Turkish side is that they will be without their supporters at Anfield for the second leg, following crowd disturbances in the previous round, making a strong result at home on Tuesday even more crucial.

In their earlier meeting, Galatasaray capitalized on a Dominik Szoboszlai handball to score from the penalty spot and limited Liverpool’s chances, earning a deserved win. Manager Okan Buruk will be aiming for a fourth consecutive victory in all competitions and a sixth straight home win. Galatasaray have scored at least three goals in eight of their last 13 European matches at RAMS Park, though they have managed only one clean sheet in their last eight home games.

Liverpool arrive after two matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers, losing 2-1 in the Premier League before bouncing back with a 3-1 FA Cup win. The defeat to Wolves was their only loss in their last six games, although some recent victories have been unconvincing. Defensively, Liverpool have conceded five goals in their last three matches, compared to just three in the previous six, but have also scored three or more goals in three of their last five games.

In the Champions League, Liverpool have impressed away from home, conceding only twice and scoring nine times in four away fixtures. Despite their quality, their record against Galatasaray is poor, with just one win, two draws, and three losses in six meetings with the Turkish side.

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Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has signaled his intention to field a physically robust team designed to unsettle Liverpool’s defense, with Victor Osimhen expected to play a central role up front. He will likely be supported in attack by Baris Yilmaz and Noa Lang, while the midfield could feature former Arsenal player Lucas Torreira alongside ex-Southampton and Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina.

Liverpool are contending with several injuries, but only Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley are notable absentees from the usual starting lineup. Hugo Ekitike is set to replace Isak as the central striker, while Jeremie Frimpong is expected to fill in at right-back for Bradley. Despite criticism of left-winger Cody Gakpo, and with teenager Rio Ngumoha impressing in the last match, Florian Wirtz may be moved to the left flank to allow Dominik Szoboszlai to operate as the number 10.

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