Liverpool's crucial Champions League journey to Istanbul has encountered a significant setback, with their preparations for the last-16 first leg against Galatasaray severely disrupted by an injury to a key player. The Reds are set to face the Turkish giants on Tuesday night, continuing their ambitious pursuit of a seventh European Cup title, but will now have to navigate this pivotal encounter without one of their most dependable figures.
Alisson Becker Withdraws from Squad
According to reports from The Times, manager Arne Slot will be forced to alter his first-choice lineup after goalkeeper Alisson Becker complained of discomfort following Monday's training session. The Brazilian shot-stopper's name was conspicuously absent from the 21-man squad list announced by Liverpool for their flight to Turkey, confirming his withdrawal from the travelling party.
The injury is currently believed to be minor, with Alisson alerting medical staff to the issue after the training session concluded. However, the timing could not be worse for Liverpool, with the 33-year-old's availability for Sunday's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur now also in doubt. This development marks another unwelcome chapter in Alisson's season, as he previously suffered a hamstring injury during Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray in the Champions League league phase back in September, which sidelined him for seven weeks.
Mamardashvili Steps Into the Breach
With Alisson unavailable, backup goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is now poised to start between the posts for Liverpool in this critical European fixture. The 25-year-old Georgian, who has made nine appearances for the Reds this season, previously deputised admirably during Alisson's lengthy lay-off earlier in the campaign. Third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman will step up to the bench as Mamardashvili's understudy for the match.
Mamardashvili has recently spoken about the challenges of being a backup goalkeeper, emphasising the need for patience and hard work. "It is never easy because there is just one goal," he told The Reds Roundtable. "If I don't play, I don't mind. I have to work hard every day and that's it. My time will come for sure. Maybe not this year but my time will come." He recalled advice from his former Valencia coach, Jose Manuel Ochotorena, about finding balance between ambition and patience while awaiting opportunities.
Slot Acknowledges Formidable Challenge
Ahead of the match, manager Arne Slot acknowledged the formidable challenge that awaits his team in Istanbul. "Difficult. That is what you expect in the last 16, because every team you are going to face is difficult because they are there for a reason," Slot told The Breakdown on TNT Sports. "What makes it even more [difficult] for us is to know that we have already played there and we have lost. It's a very good team and they have very good players."
Slot particularly highlighted the intimidating atmosphere at Galatasaray's Rams Global Stadium, describing it as unlike any other away environment he has experienced. "Every time we had the ball, the noise, the whistling, is so hard that sometimes you wonder if this could be done by human people," he remarked. "It's so hard, from the start to the end. The noise is even harder than when they score a goal. So, it's a challenging environment to play, but the good thing is that we play at home as well, and that's going to be a challenging environment for Galatasaray to play in."
Liverpool will be hoping that Mamardashvili can replicate his previous solid performances and help secure a positive result to bring back to Anfield for the second leg, despite the disruptive absence of their first-choice goalkeeper at such a crucial juncture in their European campaign.
