Liverpool travel to Galatasaray for their first away day of the Champions League league phase today, and Arne Slot has made some big calls with his team selection.
The Reds won their opening game against Atletico Madrid 3-2 at the death thanks to Virgil van Djik’s last-minute header, after they had been pegged back by Marcos Llorente’s double.
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On the injury front, the Premier League champions are at full strength, bar Giovanni Leoni, who was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
That said, Federico Chiesa - who scored Liverpool’s equaliser in their 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace at the weekend - has not travelled to Turkey due to a little niggle.
Besides Leoni and Chiesa, Arne Slot had a full complement to pick from, and despite the Super Lig side’s 5-1 hammering by Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday one, a trip to RAMS Park in Istanbul is never easy. That has shown with the Dutchman’s starting XI.
Alisson Becker continues in goal ahead of Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Dominik Szoboszlai seems to have been shoehorned back in at right-back once again. Van Dijk and Konate are, of course, the centre-backs, and it is Milos Kerkez who gets the nod over Andy Robertson.
Ryan Gravenberch is partnered by Curtis Jones in the engine room, with Florian Wirtz back as the No10.
Wirtz was shifted to the left flank to accommodate Szoboszlai at No10 ahead of Mac Allister and Gravenberch against Crystal Palace, but Cody Gakpo’s interval introduction at Selhurst Park has played him into the side here, starting on the left wing.
The big surprise is that Mohamed Salah has been dropped to the bench, with natural right-back Jeremie Frimpogn taking his berth, while Hugo Ekitike returns from suspension to lead the line.
Alexander Isak is amongst the substitutes.
Starting Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Frimpong, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitke.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Isak, Mac Allister, Salah, Bradley, Robertson, Ngumoha.
Injured: Leoni, Chiesa
Time and date: 8pm BST today, Tuesday, September 30, 2025
How to watch: Amazon Prime
Venue: RAMS Park, Istanbul
