HistoryLiverpool and Galatasaray: Previous meetings
Liverpool and Galatasaray are set to face each other in a European knockout tie for the first time next week.
The Reds and the Turkish side meet over two legs in the Champions League last 16, beginning at RAMS Park in Istanbul on Tuesday night.
Anfield hosts the return fixture on March 18.
The teams have previously clashed in five matches, all in the group or league phase of this tournament and all since the turn of the century.
Their maiden meeting was on February 20, 2002 at Anfield, when the Champions League featured a second group stage.
A goalless stalemate occurred that night, and nothing could separate them when they met again in Turkiye six days later – though this time they did both score.
Radu Niculescu put Galatasaray ahead midway through the second half but Emile Heskey responded for Liverpool, who would go on to reach the quarter-finals.
There would be a pair of contests between the clubs four years later as they were drawn in the same section of the group stage in 2006-07.
On September 27, 2006, the Reds delivered what remains their only victory over Gala to date, winning 3-2 at Anfield.
Peter Crouch and Luis Garcia scored inside the opening 15 minutes and the former extended the hosts’ lead to three with his iconic overhead kick in front of the Kop early in the second half.
Umit Karan struck twice around the hour mark to set up a nervy finale from which Rafael Benitez’s men emerged still ahead.
It was the same result, but in Galatasaray’s favour, when they faced each other again at the Ataturk Stadium on December 5, 2006.
Robbie Fowler, back at Liverpool for his second spell with the club, scored in minutes 22 and 89 – but in between, Ates Necati, Buruk Okan and Sasa Ilic were on target for the home team.
Almost two decades passed before the sides crossed paths again, in this season’s Champions League league phase.
Galatasaray prevailed at their home stadium on September 30, 2025, with Victor Osimhen’s penalty kick on the stroke of half-time securing them a 1-0 win.
Two pre-season friendlies between the clubs have also ended with Gala taking victory – 2-1 in August 2003 and 3-0 in July 2011.