Liverpool Suffers Second Consecutive Champions League Defeat to Galatasaray

Liverpool suffered a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League, marking their second consecutive loss following a Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace. The sole goal came early from a penalty converted by Victor Osimhen, awarded after a controversial incident involving Dominik Szoboszlai and Barış Alper Yılmaz, with Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitting the team was "out-smarted" by Galatasaray's gamesmanship. Slot defended Szoboszlai, criticizing how Galatasaray exaggerated the penalty situation, which he described as turning a "20% penalty into a 100% penalty." The match was further marred by injuries to Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Hugo Ekitike, with Alisson expected to miss the upcoming game against Chelsea. Despite the loss, Slot maintained that Liverpool's level remains close to last season's form but acknowledged the fine margins affecting their recent results. The manager also expressed frustration with the second half's lack of momentum due to frequent stoppages and time-wasting tactics by Galatasaray's striker.