Slot admits Liverpool “must perform better” in Istanbul after Galatasaray draw was confirmed

Liverpool now face the first obstacle on our Champions League route to Budapest, and Arne Slot has no idea what the draw with Galatasaray means for the coming weeks.

The Reds were paired with the Turkish champions in Friday morning’s last 16 draw, with the first leg scheduled for RAMS Park on Tuesday, March 10, kick-off 5:45pm GMT, before the return at Anfield on Wednesday, March 18, kick-off 8:00pm GMT.

It’s a tie full of recent context as we’ve already been to Istanbul this season and that night ended in a frustrating 1-0 defeat in the league stage.

Slot’s first response, delivered to liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Center, was honest about the difficulty of the opponent and the reality of playing against a team we already know.

“Given the possibilities of the draw, we got exactly what we expected and that is a difficult draw in the last sixteen against an opponent we have already met once this season,” said Slot.

That previous meeting is the reason why our head coach immediately identified the away match as the most important early test in the tie.

“We know that we will have to perform better in the away match than the last time we were in Istanbul in September. That is our immediate challenge in this match,” the 47-year-old added.

Slot’s Galatasaray response underlines Liverpool’s mentality

Although the situation seems brutal, Slot made it clear that the feeling among the squad is excitement rather than fear, as this is exactly where we wanted to be after navigating the competition phase.

“But the most important feeling is excitement, because this is what we worked so hard for in the competition phase. We wanted to be here and now we want to make the most of our presence here,” Finally explained.

It’s also worth bearing in mind why Galatasaray are here in the first place, as their win over Juventus in the play-offs offers a warning about the level of belief they will bring to the match.

“Especially because we know that Galatasaray had such a positive result against Juventus by reaching the last sixteen.” Finally noted.

That sense of threat is echoed by the opposition too, with striker Victor Osimhen admitting he would prefer to avoid us, while still insisting his side would embrace the challenge if it arose.

“To be honest, meeting Liverpool now will be a kind of revenge… I wouldn’t say much, but I would like to escape Liverpool,” Osimhen told Jamie Carragher.

Liverpool’s route is fixed and looks demanding

The draw not only confirms Galatasaray, but also indicates what could follow if we make progress.

The winners of the tie will face Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

That’s why the broader conversation has focused on the silver side of the market, where the elite-level bands are stacking up one after the other as you keep making progress.

Opta’s Champions League modelling still gives us reason to believe, however, as the Opta supercomputer rates Liverpool as heavy favorites to get through to the last sixteen over two legs and still puts us among the most likely winners overall.

It also helps explain the strange duality of this draw: it’s tough in terms of the potential route, but it’s also a chance to build real momentum by beating quality opponents that make you sharp for what comes next.

For Slot there is also a practical point, because our calendar does not pause while Europe waits.

“We obviously still have important games in other competitions before the Champions League starts again, so hopefully when the tie comes we will be as ready as possible.”

That starts with West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday, but the picture of the Champions League is now clear and it is difficult to argue that Liverpool have been given anything other than a demanding road to Budapest.