Chiesa Out as Liverpool Visit Galatasaray

Liverpool travel to Galatasaray in Istanbul on September 30 for the clubs' fifth European meeting and their first since Galatasaray's 3-2 win in December 2006. The Reds' perfect start to the season ended in a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, but Liverpool have won 13 of their last 14 Champions League group-stage matches and Mohamed Salah is two goals shy of 50 European Cup/Champions League goals. Manager Arne Slot confirmed Federico Chiesa will miss the trip with an injury niggle; Chiesa had been an impactful substitute since his summer arrival and was added to Liverpool's Champions League squad. Galatasaray top the Turkish Super Lig but arrive after a 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and are on an eight-game home winless run in European Cup competition, while their squad has been bolstered by returns such as Ilkay Gündoğan and Victor Osimhen. Selection questions remain — Alexander Isak may be eased in with Hugo Ekitike an option — and bookmakers make Liverpool clear favourites ahead of what many expect to be an open, high-scoring contest given both sides' attacking strengths and defensive vulnerabilities.