A warm spring evening at Anfield, with a comeback required to salvage a European tie and perhaps a season, and Liverpool delivered once more.
Arne Slot might have done many things wrong this season but losing that feature of Liverpool’s identity can not be added to the list following an emphatic victory over Galatasaray. Liverpool will meet holders Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter finals of the Champions League, in a repeat of the last 16 tie that Slot often reminisces about from last season, thanks to a performance of intensity and incisiveness against sorry visitors from Turkey.
Dominik Szoboszlai led the charge as the Hungary captain has done throughout a season that could culminate in a final in Budapest. His fine opening goal levelled the tie on aggregate and convinced Liverpool of their superiority over opponents who have beaten them twice in Istanbul this season, but wilt without the raucous backing of Ali Sami Yen Stadium.
“We played bad, very bad,” Galatasaray coach, Okan Buruk, said. Mohamed Salah recovered from missing a penalty to shape a rampant second-half display in which he became the first player from Africa to score 50 Champions League goals. Salah, and Liverpool, achieved their goals in style.
Collectively, this must be the benchmark for what remains of a trying campaign. Anfield was more partisan than usual with Galatasaray fans banned from the second leg following trouble away at Juventus in the playoff round. It did not take Liverpool long to assert their authority. Galatasaray were even quicker with the theatrics and time-wasting tactics.
Some stoppages were genuine, including the early blow of Victor Osimhen suffering an arm injury that would force his withdrawal at half-time and substitute Noa Lang seriously damaging a finger on an advertising hoarding in stoppage time. Both were taken to hospital. But the Polish referee, Szymon Marciniak, came close to losing control at times as those in white collapsed at the slightest contact.
Liverpool’s composure was tested and Slot was far more animated on the touchline as a result but they remained patient and were rewarded when Florian Wirtz’s shot deflected wide for a corner. It produced an exemplary set-piece routine. While most players congregated around the six-yard box, Szoboszlai held back. Alexis Mac Allister found his fellow midfielder with a low delivery to the edge of the area and, with Ibrahima Konaté blocking off Roland Sallai, Szoboszlai slotted a first time shot into the bottom corner.
Harry Kane became the first English player to hit 50 Champions League goals, scoring twice as Bayern Munich humbled Atalanta again to complete a 10-2 aggregate win.
The Bundesliga giants set up a quarter-final against Real Madrid, following up their 6-1 victory in Bergamo with a 4-1 home win at the Allianz Arena.
Leading the side for the first time in European action, Kane hit the first two, a retaken penalty and a brilliantly worked second, to bring up his half-century in 66 games and take his season's tally to 47.
Lennart Karl and Luis Diaz added to the scoring as Bayern racked up double figures for the tie, before a late consolation for Lazar Samardzic. PA Media
It was no more than Liverpool deserved and, with Galatasaray heads wobbling, a second goal could have quickly followed. Abdulkerim Bardakci gifted Salah a glorious chance with a careless header that put the Egypt international through on goal. Ugurcan Cakir saved the striker’s attempted chip. The Galatasaray goalkeeper was beaten following another well-worked corner routine moments later. This time Salah delivered the set-piece to the back post where Virgil van Dijk headed back across goal. Mac Allister, unmarked and only yards from goal, headed against the crossbar. It didn’t feel a costly miss at the time – the pressure from Liverpool was unrelenting and the Galatasaray performance was deteriorating – and so it proved. Cakir, unsure with his feet but good with his hands, was the only reason the tie was not settled before the break. The keeper produced a flying save to deny Szoboszlai from 25 yards and thwarted Salah from the penalty spot after Ismail Jakobs was penalised for a lazy trip on the Liverpool midfielder. Salah’s spot-kick was weak, down the centre and easily read. In stoppage time Cakir made a fine double save from Salah and Wirtz.
Buruk made a double substitution at the interval in search of the urgency, threat and quality that were all missing from his team’s display but to no avail. Galatasaray’s night grew darker as they were run ragged by a resurgent Salah, an improved Wirtz and the effervescent Hugo Ekitiké.
Liverpool scored four goals in 11 minutes, although one was disallowed for offside. Ekitiké started the collapse by converting a perfect low cross from Salah that cut out the entire Galatasaray defence and found the France international free inside the area.
The goalscorer rightly acclaimed the provider as he celebrated in front of the Kop. Salah was instrumental in the third goal just two minutes later when, from Wirtz’s pass, his snapshot was parried by Cakir into the path of Ryan Gravenberch. Gravenberch had commenced the move and finished it by sweeping home the rebound.
Liverpool were denied a third in five minutes when Jeremie Frimpong was ruled offside when delivering the cross that Wilfried Singo sliced into his own net. But Liverpool, and Salah, were not done yet. Having exchanged passes with Wirtz on the corner of the Galatasaray penalty area, the 33-year-old rolled back the years – or year, to be more precise – and swept a sublime, trademark finish into the top corner. A fitting way for Salah to make history and for Liverpool to march on to Paris.
