Galatasary 1 – 0 Liverpool

Galatasaray: Osimhen 16’ (p)
Reds: N/A

Holy shit, Mohamed Salah starts on the bench in a meaningful Champions League match. Mind blown. I hope he’s furious and scores a hatty like he did against Rangers. Elsewhere, Ekitike leads the line, with Gakpo, Wirtz, and Frimpong as attacking mids behind. Jones and Gravenberch in the middle of the pitch, and Szoboszlai is back at right back.

Well then, let’s do this.

The Galatasary fans held up a banner pre-match reading “Humanity lost its conscience in Gaza” and UEFA made sure the cameras quickly panned away. Well, is fucking right. And also fuck UEFA.

As far as the football goes, Szoboszlai gets absolutely done for pace, and Alisson has to come up big with a vital 1 v 1 save. So. Not a great start.

In a mad sequence, Liverpool miss a chance after Ekitike goes through on goal, then Wirtz backheels it to no one, Galatasaray counter and Dom gives away a pen. Which they convert.

I’d like to tell you Liverpool have had a good response, but that is not at all the case. The green-clad Reds are second best all over the pitch, and are struggling to string together more than a few passes at the moment.

Liverpool aren’t great, but this ref isn’t helping. He’s giving Galatasaray everything. When Liveprool have been able to play through the lines—which isn’t often, granted—they’ve managed to create dangerous situations. So, more of that in the second half, please and thank you.

Liverpool look better to start the second half and managed to work their best chance of the match after Frimpong drives to the byline and cuts it back for Ekitike.

And Ali is injured, forcing the manager to make his first sub of the match, bringing on backup Mamardashvili. Ali’s had to come up big a few times tonight, including another 1 v 1 just before he had to be subbed.

A few minutes later, Slot brings on Salah, Isak, and Bradley for Gakpo, Frimpong, and Gravenberch.

And it looks like Ekitike has also picked up a knock, so slot will have to use his final sub, Mac Allister, before the 70th minute. Great. Although Liverpool started the half brightly, they’ve not managed to create much since. This has turned into a brutal watch, with two potential injuries (so far).

It looks like Konate of all people won a pen, but we couldn’t even have that moment of joy after VAR (correctly) intervenes.

Well, Liverpool lost the game and lost two starters to injury, so I’m just going to go ahead and say that this was an all-around shit match.