MatchPre-Galatasaray stats: Slot, Salah and Szoboszlai in reach of records

The sides contest the first leg of their last-16 tie at RAMS Park in Istanbul, kick-off 5.45pm GMT.

Read on for statistics and trivia related to the match…

The clubs have faced each other five times before, with one Liverpool win, two draws and two Galatasaray victories.

The home team prevailed 1-0 when they met at the same venue on matchday two of the league phase last September.

Arne Slot will take charge of Liverpool for the 100th time. He has won 62 of his 99 matches so far and a victory in this game would see him break Kenny Dalglish’s club record of wins in the first 100.

Mohamed Salah can set a new club record by appearing in his 81st Champions League game (proper) for Liverpool, overtaking Jamie Carragher’s 80.

A goal or an assist from Dominik Szoboszlai will see him become the first Reds player to score or assist in seven successive Champions League games.

This will be the second time the Reds have faced the same opponent in two different phases of European competition in the same season. They did so against PSV Eindhoven in the group and knockout stages of the 2006-07 Champions League.

Liverpool have won nine of their last 11 away European fixtures.

The Reds have won the away leg in nine of their previous 12 Champions League last-16 ties.

They have won only once before against a Turkish team in Turkiye – 2-1 at Trabzonspor in a Europa League play-off tie in 2010-11.

Salah is one goal away from becoming the first African player ever to score 50 times in the Champions League.

Cody Gakpo’s next goal will make him the 58th player to score 50 times for Liverpool in all competitions and the second Dutchman to do so, after Dirk Kuyt.

Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of the Reds’ Champions League campaign this season.

Galatasaray have suffered defeat in only one of their last 10 home games in Europe, losing 1-0 to Union SG during the league phase.

With 26, Galatasaray have received more yellow cards in this season’s competition than any other team.

They have won each of their last five matches on home soil in all competitions and are unbeaten in the last seven at RAMS Park.

Victor Osimhen is Galatasaray’s leading scorer this season with 18 goals. His penalty kick separated the sides when they met in Turkiye earlier in the campaign.

Their coach, Okan Buruk, played for Galatasaray against Liverpool in December 2006 and scored in a 3-2 victory.