galatasaray vs liverpool is a high-stakes Champions League last-16 first leg in Istanbul that Liverpool must use to arrest a downward run and revive their season. Liverpool will travel to Istanbul missing goalkeeper Alisson after he felt a minor issue in training, manager Arne Slot confirmed at a pre-match press conference on Monday (ET). The tie also arrives as Slot marks his 100th game as Liverpool manager and without Italian forward Federico Chiesa, who did not travel because of illness.
Galatasaray Vs Liverpool: Keeper absence and Chiesa illness
Arne Slot said Alisson “felt something towards the end of the session” and that medical checks led to the decision that he was not “good enough to play tomorrow so no use in travelling. ” Slot identified the issue as minor and added there is a chance Alisson could be available for Liverpool’s next domestic fixture, saying “There’s definitely a chance, yes, because we don’t expect it to be a big thing. ” In the immediate game plan, Slot confirmed that Giorgi Mamardashvili will deputise in goal with Freddie Woodman named on the bench.
The absentee list for the trip also includes Federico Chiesa, who “felt unwell” and did not take part in the session that preceded Liverpool’s journey. Those two absences frame a challenging selection problem for Slot ahead of the match in Istanbul, where the atmosphere was singled out earlier by Slot as particularly intense and new for even his most experienced players.
Immediate reactions
Arne Slot, Liverpool manager, gave the starkest assessments in the build-up. He told assembled journalists that the decision on Alisson was collaborative: “People looked at it and we decided and he decided together that it wasn’t good enough to play tomorrow. ” Slot also warned of the host environment’s impact on his squad, noting the loud crowd noise and whistling Liverpool experienced earlier in the season.
The managerial messaging was pragmatic and containment-focused: minimise risk with injury, accept last-minute absences, and press ahead with available players. Slot emphasised the short-term nature of the goalkeeper issue, reiterating that the injury was not expected to be serious enough to keep Alisson out of the upcoming Premier League fixture if recovery proceeds as hoped.
What’s next
On the field, Liverpool must navigate the tie in Istanbul without their first-choice goalkeeper and without Chiesa, while Slot manages squad balance in what he has described as a pivotal night for the team’s season. Expect Giorgi Mamardashvili to start in goal and Freddie Woodman to retain a place on the bench for the trip. The immediate focus for Slot and his staff will be match preparation on game day, assessment of Alisson’s recovery in the hours after the trip, and clarity on availability for the next Premier League home fixture.
As Liverpool head into the fixture, the club faces a clear short-term test: use the trip to halt negative momentum and protect squad fitness for the run of fixtures that follows. The outcome of galatasaray vs liverpool will shape selection and recovery decisions in the coming days and set the tone for how the manager navigates this phase of the season.
