Galatasaray vs. Liverpool: Best Bets for Tuesday’s Champions League Match

Liverpool lead off the Round of 16 with a repeat fixture from the league phase, as they meet Turkish champion Galatasaray. The Reds lost the first meeting by a 1-0 scoreline, and given Galatasaray’s home form, this might not be the place to bet on Liverpool to turn the tables.

The Lions knocked out Juventus in the previous round, and they did it by burying Juve 5-2 in the first leg in Istanbul. Galatasaray trailed 3-0 after full-time when the tie shifted to Juventus’ ground, but the Turkish side advanced with two goals in extra time against a worn-out home side. Liverpool will no doubt have learned from that match, and will be looking to minimize the damage and take advantage of Galatasaray’s wobbly away from in the second leg at Anfield.

Galatasaray vs. Liverpool Prediction

Liverpool likes to leave things late. Of the Reds’ past seven matches across all competitions, five of them have carried a 0-0 scoreline at the end of 45 minutes, and a sixth was scoreless until the 42nd minute. In its final two away league phase matches, Liverpool was scoreless at half with Inter Milan and scoreless until a minute into first-half stoppage time at Marseille.

There’s plenty of good reason to expect something similar here. Liverpool has every reason to play a defensive first half and try to win the tie with a dazzling performance in the second leg. Galatasaray has already shown what it can do in Istanbul, and the Reds’ ultimate goal will be not to lose the tie in the first leg as Juventus did.

The biggest question is whether Liverpool will take a goal home with it. Six of Galatasaray’s 10 Champions League matches have ended with one side failing to score, but the Lions have allowed a goal to five of their past seven visitors in the Turkish SuperLiga. If the goal does come for the Reds, it’s likely to be in the second 45 minutes, as nine of Liverpool’s past 11 away markers across all competitions came after halftime.

Best Bet: Scoreless First Half

Galatasaray vs. Liverpool Same Game Parlay

• Galatasaray Double Chance

• Both Teams to Score

• Draw 1-1

Even though a scoreless first half seems likely, things tend to open up for Liverpool in the second half. The past two matches with Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux showed that, as both went from scoreless at half to featuring three and four goals respectively.

Once Liverpool sees its opponent’s hand and begins to figure it out, it becomes a much tougher opponent. Even though the Reds are facing an opponent that’s had a lot of success at its own ground, they should be able to leave with a goal and keep the job doable when they come home. A score draw with both sides finding the net looks like a solid sports betting option.