Liverpool, March 19, 2026, Anfield turned into a party on Wednesday night as Liverpool swept aside Galatasaray 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 clash. The result gave the Reds a 4-1 aggregate win and sent them through to face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals.
Backed by a loud crowd of 59,980, Liverpool controlled the match from the first whistle to the last. After recent criticism at home, Arne Slot’s side answered in the best way possible. They played with pace, purpose, and confidence, and reminded everyone why they are still one of Europe’s most dangerous teams.
Liverpool Set the Tempo Early – Watch the Highlights
Liverpool started on the front foot because they had to erase a one-goal deficit from the first leg in Istanbul. The pressure built quickly, and Galatasaray struggled to settle.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute. Alexis Mac Allister drilled a smart low corner into the box, and Dominik Szoboszlai arrived unmarked to guide a first-time left-footed shot into the bottom corner. Anfield erupted, and the tie was level again.
Galatasaray, already weakened by UEFA sanctions that kept their away fans out, looked rattled. Even so, goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakır kept them alive with several fine saves.
The biggest first-half flashpoint came in stoppage time. Ismail Jakobs brought down Szoboszlai in the box, and Liverpool had a chance to take full control. Salah stepped up, but his penalty lacked power, and Çakır saved it with ease.
Still, Liverpool went into the break 1-0 up. They had also struck the woodwork twice through Mac Allister and Salah, so the warning signs were already there for the visitors.
Liverpool Blows the Tie Open After the Break
Whatever Slot said at halftime had the desired effect. Liverpool came out flying, and within minutes the contest was over.
Just 115 seconds after the restart, Salah sent a precise cross in from the right. Hugo Ekitiké slipped in at the back post and tapped home for his first Champions League goal for Liverpool.
Two minutes later, Salah tested Çakır with a powerful effort. The keeper pushed it away, but only as far as Ryan Gravenberch, who smashed the rebound into the net to make it 3-0 on the night.
Then came the moment that sealed both the result and a personal milestone. In the 62nd minute, Florian Wirtz played Salah through. The Egyptian cut inside from the left and bent a brilliant left-footed shot into the top corner from 20 yards.
It was Salah’s 50th goal in the Champions League, making him the first African player to reach that mark. He lifted his hands to the crowd as Anfield sang his name.
Liverpool vs Galatasaray 4-0: Match Highlights
- 25th minut , Szoboszlai scores from Mac Allister’s well-worked corner
- First-half stoppage time, Çakır saves Salah’s penalty after Jakobs fouls Szoboszlai
- 51st minute Ekitiké finishes Salah’s cross to double Liverpool’s lead
- 53rd minute ,Gravenberch buries the rebound after another Salah effort
- 62nd minute, Alah curls home his 50th Champions League goal
- Goalkeeping display, Çkır makes 11 saves and stops the score from getting worse
- Other chances , Ma Allister and Salah hit the bar, while both teams also have lhadgoals ruled out
Liverpool ended the match with 32 shots, 16 on target, and an xG of 5.02. By contrast, Galatasaray managed only four attempts all night.
Liverpool Performance Table
| Player | Position | Rating (BBC) | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alisson Becker | GK | 7.44 | Made one big save, used the ball well |
| Jeremie Frimpong | RB | 7.32 | Got forward often, replaced in the 67th minute |
| Ibrahima Konaté | CB | 7.46 | Strong and composed throughout |
| Virgil van Dijk (C) | CB | 7.62 | Led the back line with authority |
| Milos Kerkez | LB | 7.57 | Offered constant support down the flank |
| Ryan Gravenberch | CM | 7.70 | Scored Liverpool’s third goal |
| Florian Wirtz | AM | 7.64 | Added creativity, assisted Salah |
| Dominik Szoboszlai | AM | 8.91 | Opened the scoring and won the penalty |
| Alexis Mac Allister | AM | 7.53 | Set up the first goal, hit the bar |
| Mohamed Salah | RW | 7.83 | One goal, one assist, reached 50 in the Champions League |
| Hugo Ekitiké | ST | 8.16 | Took his chance well after halftime |
Substitutes used: Curtis Jones (67′), Cody Gakpo (74′), Ransford Ngumoha (89′), Federico Chiesa (89′), Tyler Nyoni (89′)
Galatasaray Performance Table
| Player | Position | Rating (BBC/Sky) | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ugurcan Çakır | GK | 6.32 / 7 | Made 11 saves and stopped Salah’s penalty |
| Sacha Boey | RB | 6 | Taken off at halftime |
| Wilfried Singo | CB | 6 | Worked hard but came under heavy pressure |
| Abdülkerim Bardakcı (C) | CB | 6 | Replaced in the 73rd minute |
| Ismail Jakobs | LB | 5 | Gave away the penalty |
| Lucas Torreira | CM | 5 | Taken off in the 60th minute |
| Mario Lemina | CM | 5 | Struggled to influence the game |
| Roland Sallai | RW | 6 | Saw little of the ball |
| Gabriel Sara | AM | 6 | Tried to link the play in the attack |
| Barış Yılmaz | LW | 6 | Found himself isolated |
| Victor Osimhen | ST | 3.49 / 3 | Injured at halftime, had little impact |
Substitutes used: Leroy Sané (46′), Nicolas Lang (46′), Yunus Akgün (60′), Emre Elmalı (73′), Mauro Icardi (80′)
Liverpool Too Sharp, Galatasaray Fall Apart
The numbers sum up the night. Liverpool had 62% of the ball and 58 touches inside the Galatasaray box. The visitors managed only five touches in Liverpool’s area.
Galatasaray arrived with reports of a €5 million squad bonus if they knocked Liverpool out, but they never came close. Once Osimhen went off injured at halftime, their main threat disappeared. After that, Liverpool pushed even harder.
Çakır was the only reason the score stayed respectable. Without him, Galatasaray could easily have conceded six or seven. Liverpool, on the other hand, looked sharp in front of goal and completely secure at the back.
After the final whistle, Slot praised both his players and the crowd. He said it was almost the perfect game and thanked the fans for the energy they brought. Van Dijk shared that view, saying Liverpool showed their level when everything clicks.
PSG Up Next in the Quarterfinals
Now comes a massive test against Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool will head into that tie full of belief after such a strong display.
Salah looks back to his best, and younger players like Ekitiké and Gravenberch are stepping up at the right time. That mix of experience and fresh energy could be key if Liverpool wants to make a real run at the trophy.
For Galatasaray, the night ended with frustration. They had taken advantage of the first leg in Istanbul, but Okan Buruk’s team could not cope with Liverpool’s speed, pressure, and quality at Anfield.
Liverpool 4-0 Galatasaray was more than a comfortable win. It was a clear message to the rest of Europe: Liverpool is firmly back in the Champions League race.
