Liverpool's showdown with Lions as last chance to save the season

Liverpool FC return to Anfield on Wednesday night with a clear objective—overturn a narrow first-leg deficit against Galatasaray and keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Beaten 1-0 in Istanbul once again—just as they were earlier in the competition—the Reds were undone by an early strike from Mario Lemina. It marked a frustrating milestone for Arne Slot, whose 100th game in charge did not go to plan.

Still, the Liverpool boss remains optimistic ahead of the return leg, insisting his side is capable of raising their level and calling on the home crowd to mirror the intense atmosphere experienced in Turkey. "It's difficult because we have played twice against them and lost twice against them. The good thing for us is that it is the first game we play at home and we have the support of our fans, which will be supportive again tomorrow night because that is what they have always been and will always be for this club."

Last season’s round-of-16 exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain still lingers, and another early knockout would only heighten the scrutiny on Slot, especially with just one win from his last four matches across all competitions.

Domestic form hasn’t offered much relief either. Liverpool’s push for a top-four finish took another hit over the weekend, as they surrendered a lead to draw 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur. A late equaliser from former Everton forward Richarlison leaves the Reds sitting fifth, two points adrift of Aston Villa with eight games to go.

Despite recent setbacks, Anfield remains a fortress in Europe. Liverpool have won 15 of their last 19 UEFA matches on home soil and boast a strong record against Turkish opposition, with five victories and five clean sheets from their last six such encounters.

While Okan Buruk still considers Liverpool favourites, Galatasaray arrive in a promising position. The Turkish side are chasing their first Champions League quarter-final since the 2012-13 campaign and have a strong track record in two-legged ties after winning the opening match.

However, their struggles away from home in Europe cannot be ignored. Galatasaray have lost 19 of their last 23 Champions League away fixtures and have managed just one win in their previous 12 trips to England—a memorable victory over Manchester United in the 2023-24 group stage.

Liverpool’s injury list remains a concern, with Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo all sidelined. On the plus side, key names such as Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate are expected to return to the starting lineup, which could see youngsters like Rio Ngumoha and players including Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez drop to the bench.

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On the other side, Galatasaray will be without Enes Buyuk due to injury, while Metehan Baltaci, Gokdeniz Gurpuz and Renato Nhaga are unavailable for selection. Much will once again depend on Victor Osimhen, who leads the team’s scoring charts with 19 goals this season, including seven in the Champions League. He is likely to be supported in attack by Baris Alper Yilmaz and Noa Lang, while Leroy Sane could start from the bench

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - ROUND OF 16

Return leg

Tuesday

Sporting - Bodo 5-0 (1-0) AET

/Inacio 34, Goncalves 61, Suarez 78 pen, Araujo 92, Nel 120+1/

Sporting win 5-3 on agg

Arsenal - Leverkusen 2-0 (1-0)

/Eze 36, Rice 63/

Arsenal win 3-1 on agg

Chelsea - PSG 0-3 (0-2)

/Kvaratskhelia 6, Barcola 14, Mayulu 62/

PSG win 8-2 on agg

Manchester City - Real Madrid 1-2 (1-1)

/Haaland 41 - Vinicius 22 pen, 90+3/

Real Madrid 5-1 on agg

Wednesday

20.45: (1.57) Barcelona (4.65) Newcastle (5.00)

23.00: (1.35) Bayern (5.30) Atalanta (8.00)

23.00: (1.30) Liverpool (6.10) Galatasaray (8.50)

23.00: (2.60) Tottenham (3.75) Atl.Madrid (2.65)

***odds are subject to change***