Arne Slot’s 100th game in charge of Liverpool ended in a familiar frustration as a seventh-minute Mario Lemina header secured a 1-0 first-leg lead for Galatasaray. On a night where the "blood-curdling" atmosphere of Rams Park appeared to rattle the visitors, Liverpool’s ongoing vulnerability to set pieces and a controversial VAR intervention left them trailing ahead of the return leg at Anfield on March 18.
While the situation remains salvageable, the performance was an indictment of a Liverpool side that was distinctly second best for large periods. For Galatasaray, the only regret will be failing to add a second, having seen a Victor Osimhen strike ruled out by a narrow offside call.
Liverpool’s Achilles' heel was exposed almost immediately. Despite an anxious start from the hosts, their first meaningful attack led to a corner. Gabriel Sara’s delivery found Osimhen, who utilized a significant height advantage over Alexis Mac Allister to head across goal for Lemina to nod home. It was the 10th goal Liverpool have conceded from corners this season.
Their first attack led to a corner and you have to give credit that when they get a chance they play it like it’s the last chance of their lives. It’s something we can learn from: sometimes we treat chances like we’ll get 10 chances more.
Arne Slot, Liverpool
The match was defined as much by what the referee didn't see as what he did. Liverpool thought they had equalized in the 70th minute when a Dominik Szoboszlai corner was bundled over the line, only for VAR to rule that the ball struck Ibrahima Konaté’s arm twice.
Slot was equally incensed by the officiating of the routine buffeting inside the box, contrasting the quick whistles against his team with a persistent lack of protection for Virgil van Dijk.
Every corner or free-kick if we only look at a Galatasaray player the referee gave a free-kick... In the Premier League there is much more allowed than in the Champions League. That's why I was so surprised it wasn't a penalty because in all the other incidents where he thought he saw something when we made a foul and was so fast to blow his whistle.
Arne Slot, Liverpool
The atmosphere at the Ali Sami Yen (Rams Park) proved to be a formidable 12th man. Slot admitted the "unanimity and ferocity" of the crowd played a role, leaving his players' ears ringing despite his pre-match hopes that they would be accustomed to the noise following their loss in Istanbul back in October.
Giorgi Mamardashvili: Filling in for the injured Alisson, the Georgian made several crucial saves to keep the deficit at one.
Victor Osimhen: A constant threat whose range of skills left the Liverpool defense "scrambling," notably forcing the error that led to his disallowed goal.
Mario Lemina: The former Wolves man haunted his old foes again, adding this winner to a history that includes a famous winner at Anfield five years ago.
Milestone: This was Arne Slot's 100th game as Liverpool manager.
Anfield return: The second leg is scheduled for March 18.
Clean sheet failure: Galatasaray’s hesitation at the back was bailed out by keeper Ugurcan Cakir, who made a stunning save to deny Hugo Ekitike.
Galatasaray heads to Merseyside with the lead, but their defensive fragility suggests Liverpool will have chances to overturn the deficit. However, if Slot’s men are to reach the quarterfinals, they must find a way to create from open play; something they struggled to do in the face of Istanbul's "great citadel."
