Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes the Reds will still reach the Champions League quarter-finals despite their defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul, Soccernet.ng reports.
But Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is convinced the Turkish champions have the quality to finish the job when the two teams meet again at Anfield.
The first leg of the Champions League round-of-16 tie ended with Galatasaray claiming a narrow but important 1-0 victory at a loud and passionate RAMS Park. Mario Lemina scored the only goal early in the match after a clever assist from Osimhen, giving the Turkish side a slim advantage before the return leg in England.
The result has created two very different predictions ahead of the decisive second leg.
Carragher, speaking on CBS Sports, admitted Liverpool were poor in the first meeting but still expects the Premier League side to turn the tie around at Anfield.
He said:
“This was an end-to-end game that was a bad game in the end for Liverpool.
“Bad result, really poor in the second half as well. First half started well, a lot of that was to do with the mistakes of Galatasaray. I don’t think Galatasaray had a great team. It’s still a team Liverpool should beat and should go through.
“So, I’m still 98 per cent. It was 99 a couple of weeks ago. So, I still think Liverpool will go through.”
Carragher believes Liverpool have the quality to overturn the deficit but admitted the team’s overall performances this season remain a concern.
“But, this is a worry for the manager and the team. What we saw tonight is what we saw in early on the group stages away to Galatasaray early on the season.
“This team is just a million miles off where it was supposed to be this season which was that we’d be talking about them in the same light the way we speak about Bayern Munich right now.”
Liverpool spent heavily last summer and Carragher expected the club to take the next step in Europe.
“That was the whole point of Liverpool spending over £400 million in the summer was to go the next step from winning the Premier League to go and win the Champions League.
“And we’re talking about a team who have now got to change a deficit against Galatasaray, which I think they will, but I don’t have any hope for Liverpool going any further than that if it’s Paris Saint-Germain in the next round as I think it may be, and that’s that for me is a big worry.”
Carragher also questioned the balance of Liverpool’s squad and the team’s overall style of play this season.
“And it’s not just a defeat, I think the performances from Liverpool this season are a big worry for the manager. I think I said on this show in the group stage he’s got to do something, he’s got to change something.
“He’s tried everything really, in lots of different ways, but nothing seems to be able to work and it’s just at no stage this season have I ever felt Liverpool were in control of a football match.
“It’s either end-to-end basketball, so he wanted to stop that and change that, and then it becomes slow and boring and predictable.
“Do I think another manager could come in straight away, or any manager, say you give him that squad, I don’t think it dramatically changes.
“I really do think the makeup of the squad, how it’s been put together, the lack of options in certain areas, is a is a big problem as well. So it’s not just all about the manager but as we know, managers carry the can.”
Osimhen confident Galatasaray can finish the job at Liverpool
While Carragher expects Liverpool to recover at Anfield, Victor Osimhen believes Galatasaray are capable of causing the Reds more problems in the second leg.
The Nigerian striker played a key role in the first-leg victory in Istanbul, setting up Lemina’s goal and leading the line with energy and intensity throughout the match.
The atmosphere at RAMS Park was one of the standout moments of the night. The Galatasaray fans created a powerful display before kick-off, and the emotional scene even moved Osimhen to tears.
Speaking after the match during a broadcast on TRT as per Goal while holding his child, the striker explained why the moment meant so much to him.
“I have been very happy since I arrived in this jersey. This jersey is very special. I wanted to do my best for these fans. I lost my mother at a very young age. That's why it's very important to me,” the striker said.
Osimhen also praised the unity between the players and supporters, saying it played a major role in Galatasaray’s performance.
“We are a family together with the Galatasaray fans. We did a very good job today.”
Despite the narrow scoreline, the forward believes the Turkish champions showed they can compete with one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
“I think we can hurt Liverpool in the second leg. We have done a good job so far,” he added.
Galatasaray now travel to Anfield hoping to protect their lead and reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in more than a decade.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are six-time winners of the competition and will rely on their famous home support as they attempt to overturn the deficit.
