Ibrahima Konate had an unforgettable night against Galatasaray (Image: Getty)
Virgil van Dijk struggles against Galatasaray (Image: Getty)
Arne Slott’s Liverpool suffered a heartbreaking first-leg defeat away to Galatasaray on a night that could have, and probably should have, been much worse for the six-time champions. The Merseysiders head into next week’s second leg with work to do if they want to extend their Champions League spot beyond the last 16.
Liverpool’s night got off to a bad start as they looked to erase the memories of their defeat to Galatasaray earlier in the season, with the hosts taking the lead after just seven minutes. The Ghosts’ defense was the theme of the first half, with Mario Lemina giving them time and space in the penalty area to score from a Galatasaray corner. The only surprise during the break was that Liverpool did not fall behind by more than one goal, and a combination of poor finishing and a Giorgi Mamadashvili save kept the score at 1-0.
Both teams had attempts to score in the second half, but neither team scored. Victor Osimhen’s shot was ruled out for narrow offside, and an equally controversial decision overturned Ibrahima Konate, with a VAR assistant ruling that his final touch had gone off the defender’s arm. After a punishing night in Istanbul, Express Sport releases their player ratings…
Giorgi Mamadashvili – 6/10
He is the only player in Liverpool’s defense who can leave with his head held high. Things could have been much worse if Liverpool’s reserve goalkeeper hadn’t delivered an A-match. He made some important saves towards the end of the first half when Galatasaray were increasing the pressure.
He was given a difficult task against Noah Lang and struggled to keep up with the tricky winger throughout the game. It offered little from an offensive standpoint and often caused the offense to crumble.
A disastrous result from a normally reliable French player. He looked lost when the ball went over his head for the first goal, but he couldn’t recover from that. It was the most clownish mistake to lead to a goal this season, but his night was made even worse when the equalizing goal was canceled out for handball, although it was bailed out by an offside flag.
While not as bad as his centre-back partner, it wasn’t a memorable game for the Liverpool captain. Unstable, incoherent, and extraordinarily fallible. His night ended with a late tackle midway through the second half that earned the Dutchman a yellow card. This should be a wake-up call for the Reds’ hierarchy, as the day they will have to replace him is getting closer and closer.
Andy Robertson must be asking what he has to do to get a start in this Liverpool team. It was another disappointing result for the Hungarian, who was hooked in the second half by the far more experienced Scot.
Indeed, it was built to make money in the cauldron that is Ram’s Park. Sometimes he found himself chasing a shadow, but he was never the main culprit. He played as many defenses well as he did and threatened Galatasaray’s goal with some flashy shots.
Alexis Mac Allister – 4/10
However, Grabenberch’s partner at the base of midfield left much to be desired. Careless in possession and unable to contribute anything, the Argentine continues to overshadow the player who commanded Liverpool’s midfield en route to the final last season.
Liverpool were tested to their limits against Galatasaray (Image: Getty)
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5/10
Although a far cry from his usual lofty standards, he was one of the few Liverpool players who looked like he could make something happen. In the first half we created some space with some great passing, but we had a few half-chances but failed.
It’s a big money deal, one step forward, two steps back. It was a performance that summed up his Liverpool career so far. It was a chance to make a decent touch and impact, but the final action was lost when it mattered most. He rattled the line with a shot from 12 yards out early in the first half and was missing from then on.
We are talking about an era that is coming to an end. In a difficult Champions League match away to Liverpool, the Egyptian was substituted at half-time in a situation where he needed a goal. It was a courageous decision on Slott’s part, but one that was justified as he did not touch Galatasaray’s last line for the first 45 minutes.
He was always looking for spaces behind the Galatasaray defence, but his teammates couldn’t find them enough. However, as the only striker, he has to get into the back of the net when opportunities arise, and the Frenchman was unable to do so.
After Salah’s lackluster play, he added a more direct threat down the right flank.
He is solid on the left side and should have been brought on earlier.
He almost scored the equalizer late on and made a difference after coming on late in the game.
