Galatasaray vs. Liverpool: Champions League Clash Set for Istanbul

Galatasaray and Liverpool are set to clash in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. The match, taking place at RAMS Park in Istanbul, presents a challenging encounter for Liverpool, who previously suffered a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray at the same venue during the league phase of the competition Sky Sports.

Recent History and Key Statistics

Galatasaray boasts a strong home record against English clubs, having lost only one of their last nine encounters (W5 D3), with their last defeat coming against Arsenal in December 2014. Liverpool’s overall record against Galatasaray is less favorable, with just one win in five previous Champions League meetings (D2 L2), a 20% win rate – their joint-lowest against any opponent they’ve faced more than five times, alongside Chelsea UEFA.com.

Liverpool has never secured a victory in three previous away games at Galatasaray in the Champions League (D1 L2), a record surpassed only by Chelsea, where they have played five times without a win. Galatasaray has been formidable at home in the knockout stages of European competitions, losing only two of 22 matches (W13 D7) and remaining unbeaten in their last 10 such games since a 1-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in October 1973 UEFA.com.

Team Form and Injury Concerns

Liverpool will be without goalkeeper Alisson for the match due to a minor injury sustained in training. Federico Chiesa is also sidelined due to illness, resulting in a lighter squad traveling to Istanbul Liverpool.com. Despite a recent FA Cup win against Wolves, Liverpool experienced early-season struggles and a Premier League title defense that was derailed, but they appear to be regaining strength with key players returning to form Sky Sports.

Galatasaray, led by Boss Okan Buruk, is aiming for a fourth consecutive victory in all competitions and a sixth straight home win. They navigated a playoff round against Juventus to reach the knockout stages, winning 7-5 on aggregate, though not without a challenge, as Juventus took a 3-0 lead despite playing with 10 men for much of the second leg SportsMole.

Key Players to Watch

Alexis Mac Allister anticipates a tough battle against Galatasaray midfielder Lucas Torreira, praising his Uruguayan compatriot’s tenacity and skill on the ball Liverpool.com. Dominik Szoboszlai has been directly involved in eight Champions League goals this season (4 goals, 4 assists), more than any other Liverpool player. Victor Osimhen has scored seven goals in eight Champions League appearances for Galatasaray this season, just one shy of the record for a Turkish team in a single edition (8 – Burak Yilmaz in 2012-13) SportsMole.

Mohamed Salah is on the verge of becoming Liverpool’s all-time leading appearance maker in the European Cup/Champions League, currently tied with Jamie Carragher on 80 games, and is one goal away from becoming the first African player to reach 50 goals in the competition SportsMole.

Galatasaray’s Age Profile

Galatasaray is the oldest team remaining in this season’s Champions League, with an average age of 28 years and 273 days SportsMole.