MatchChampions League: Galatasaray v Liverpool team news

Alisson Becker is not with the Reds for Tuesday’s game in Turkiye, having felt an issue in training on Monday before the squad departed Merseyside.

Illness meant Federico Chiesa neither trained nor travelled, meanwhile.

“Federico was also not in the session, he felt unwell last night, so that’s why he wasn’t training with us today and not travelling with us,” said Slot on the eve of the match.

“Ali, of course, was in the session – as many people could see – but unfortunately he felt something towards the end of the session.

“And it was, how do you say this… people looked at it and we decided and he decided together that it wasn’t good enough to play tomorrow. And then it’s of no use travelling.”

Giorgi Mamardashvili is therefore in line to deputise in goal.

Liverpool named a 21-man group for the fixture at RAMS Park, where they were beaten 1-0 when the sides met in the league phase in September.

At his media briefing, Slot was also asked about his options at right-back and if Dominik Szoboszlai could be used there once more.

“I think I have played five or six different players in that position this season,” the head coach replied. “Dominik is one of them, he’s done in general in almost all of the games really well, but he’s played also really well in the midfield.

“So, the good thing for me is I have choices to make and that has not been happening a lot this season. It was mainly 13 or 14 players available and usually the same ones always playing.

“Now, in the last game against Wolves I could even impact the game off the bench [and] that hasn’t happened that many times this season, so that’s a very good thing for us.

“So, I can now play Dominik if I want to play him as a full-back because I think that’s the best decision to make and not because I have no-one else in that position.

“That is something really positive for us and also important going into the final stage of the season where we play a lot – and we’ve already played a lot – and it’s the end of the season, so the more players available the better it is because usually players can get a bit tired towards the end and the more players you have then the better it is.”

Liverpool’s longer-term absentees include Stefan Bajcetic, Conor Bradley, Wataru Endo, Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni.

If booked, Curtis Jones will serve a suspension in the return leg at Anfield for an accumulation of three yellow cards in the competition this season.

Galatasaray, meanwhile, have a clean bill of health barring defender Arda Unyay, who has been absent in recent months due to injury.

The hosts have seven players at risk of suspension for the second leg if they pick up a yellow card in this contest.

Those concerned are Abdulkerim Bardakci, Ismail Jakobs, Noa Lang, Victor Osimhen, Roland Sallai, Davinson Sanchez and Ugurcan Cakir.

Their head coach Okan Buruk said: “On the one hand, we need to play this match in the best way, and on the other hand, we need to be very careful not to get a simple card.

“There can be all kinds of cards in the game, but we need to avoid simple cards. Because we will play two matches. Of course, we have an important squad and important players, but sometimes players in the same position were penalised. I hope it won’t happen this time.”

On facing Liverpool, he added: “The first leg is the most important one. There are big teams – 16 big teams – on the same path as us and we all have a chance to progress.

“Our goal is to gain the advantage in the first match against Liverpool.”

Last match

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-3 Liverpool (March 6): Alisson, Szoboszlai, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Salah, Ngumoha, Gakpo.

Besiktas 0-1 Galatasaray (March 7): Cakir, Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Jakobs, Torreira, Lemina, Sane, Gabriel Sara, Yilmaz, Osimhen.