Liverpool News: Photos Show Squad Training Ahead of UCL Trip to Galatasaray
Tuesday at 12: 45 p. m. ET, Liverpool completed a matchday-minus-one session at the AXA Training Centre before travelling to Istanbul for the Champions League Round of 16 first leg; this Liverpool News update captures the team’s final preparations and the selection questions heading into the tie.
Photos: Arne Slot’s Squad Carried Out Matchday-Minus-One Work in Kirkby
The club released a photo gallery showing the squad’s work at the AXA Training Centre as they prepared ahead of the trip to Galatasaray. The images document on-field drills and warmups at the training complex, and note that the team left for Istanbul on Monday following the session. The first leg is scheduled to take place at RAMS Park that evening.
Liverpool News: Selection Choices Center on Ngumoha, Gakpo and Ekitike
Recent performances have created a selection dilemma for manager Arne Slot. Rio Ngumoha impressed in two games against Wolves, first as a substitute in the Premier League and then as a starter in the FA Cup, prompting debate over whether he should start on the left in a major away Champions League fixture. Cody Gakpo has been used from the left before, with Gakpo shifting centrally when Ngumoha featured.
Hugo Ekitike is likely to return as the centre forward for the trip, which would leave Ngumoha and Gakpo as the left-side options. Slot’s usual preference for senior players in big matches could favour Gakpo; Ngumoha’s age and inexperience mean he is not guaranteed a starting place despite strong recent displays.
Galatasaray’s Recent Results and Previous Meeting Increase the Tie’s Stakes
Galatasaray enter the fixture on the back of strong form: they defeated Juventus in the playoff to reach the round of 16 and are top of the Turkish league after a 1-0 win over derby rivals Beşiktaş. The sides already met in the group stage, where Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0 on that occasion. The match in Istanbul is set for the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex with Jesús Gil Manzano as referee and Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez on VAR.
Fitness issues and inconsistency in midfield have been noted as areas of concern for Liverpool this season. The club’s defensive leadership will be under scrutiny: a single off-day at this stage of the Champions League could prove costly, and the squad will need key defensive figures to perform at their best.
Photos from Kirkby underscore the immediate emphasis on match readiness and tactical sharpness ahead of the trip. For now, team selection choices — whether Slot opts for youth in Ngumoha or experience in Gakpo, and how Ekitike fits into the attack — will define Liverpool’s game plan in Istanbul.
The confirmed next event is kickoff of the Champions League Round of 16 first leg: Tuesday, March 10 at 12: 45 p. m. ET. If Liverpool field their strongest defensive lineup and maintain the attacking balance outlined in training, they aim to overturn the earlier group-stage defeat and progress in the tie.
