Liverpool thrash Galatasaray 4-0, advancing to Champions League quarterfinals

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Liverpool’s Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

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Liverpool shrugged off their Premier League malaise to storm into the Champions League quarter-finals by thrashing Galatasaray 4-0 at Anfield on Tuesday.

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Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit for Arne Slot’s men to set up a reunion with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight.

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Slot needed a reaction from the English champions after they were booed off at Anfield on Sunday for the latest in a series of lacklustre displays in a 1-1 draw against struggling Tottenham.

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Languishing fifth in the Premier League, the Champions League could save Liverpool’s season and Slot’s job.

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The Dutchman had given a rest to some of his stars at the weekend and was rewarded with a dominant display that could have resulted in a far more comprehensive scoreline.

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Galatasaray’s hopes of causing an upset was dealt a massive blow inside the first few minutes when star striker Victor Osimhen injured his forearm in a clash with Ibrahima Konate.

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The Nigerian international was clearly hobbled as he continued on until half-time before being replaced by Leroy Sane.

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By that point the Turkish champions’ advantage had already been erased.

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Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s outstanding performer in a troubled season and levelled the tie with a cushioned finish from a well-worked corner on 25 minutes.

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Galatasaray somehow escaped further punishment before the break.

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Salah missed a glorious chance to immediately double the Reds’ lead when he failed to chip Ugurcan Cakır.

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Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort flew just over and Cakır repelled another sweet Szoboszlai strike.

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The Turkey goalkeeper then saved Salah’s poor penalty after Szoboszlai was upended inside the box.

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But the floodgates opened on the visitors in the second half.

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Salah atoned for the penalty miss with a inch-perfect pass for Ekitike to slot home.

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Two minutes later Gravenberch fired in the rebound after Salah’s initial shot was saved.

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Salah has been a shadow of his former self this season, either side of a public bust-up with Slot after being dropped in December.

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He could and should have had many more on the night, but did register his 50th Champions League goal in some style with a spectacular strike from Wirtz’s backheel.

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Salah also hit the bar before asking to be replaced with an injury concern as Galatasaray offered little resistence to the waves of Liverpool attack.

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The Reds face a very different challenge against PSG, who crushed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate to reach the last eight.

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Slot has repeatedly spoken in glowing terms of the French champions.

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Liverpool came as close as anyone to stopping PSG last season as Luis Enrique’s men emerged victorious on penalties in the last 16 after a titanic tussle.

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AFP

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