Arne Slot acknowledged that Liverpool will encounter an intense atmosphere in Turkey, having been surprised by the deafening Champions League crowd at Galatasaray earlier this season.
The Premier League champions will resume their pursuit of European success on Tuesday night at a packed Rams Park, where they experienced a 1-0 league defeat in September.
This time, Liverpool will face an even more electrifying environment as they revisit Galatasaray, who are celebrating their first Champions League round-of-16 match since 2014, buoyed by a strong playoff victory against Juventus.
Their impressive 5-2 win in the first leg laid the groundwork for a 7-5 aggregate victory, and Slot knows the Reds must be prepared for the fervor both in the stands and on the field.
“The fans here are truly remarkable,” the Liverpool manager remarked. “We felt that when we played here before.
“The positive aspect is that we’ve already experienced this once. That’s an advantage, although the Galatasaray players encounter it every home game.
“For us, it was a new experience. The whistling when we have the ball is incredibly loud! It was a revelation for me and for all my seasoned players.
“The upside is that we’re familiar with it now, but we’re not just facing the fans; we’re up against 11 very talented players and a skilled manager.”
The winners of this round-of-16 matchup will face either Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain, with Tuesday’s first leg marking Slot’s 100th match in charge of Liverpool.
The Dutch coach has the chance to surpass Sir Kenny Dalglish’s club record for most wins in the first 100 games if he leads the Reds to their first-ever victory at Galatasaray.
“I’m immensely proud to be Liverpool’s manager and to reach my 100th game,” Slot stated.
“I don’t believe my track record is poor, even if I sometimes get a different impression from outside perspectives!
“It’s special that my 100th match is a significant one in the Champions League, in the last 16, against Galatasaray away.
“However, it’s not about me; it’s all about the players. I prepare them as I have for the 99 previous games, but ultimately, it’s the players who need to perform.”
“I’ve been fortunate to inherit a great team last season and this season, and I have complete confidence that these players will meet the high standards expected of a Liverpool team.”
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Slot has brought a 21-man squad to Turkey, where goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Federico Chiesa are absent.
“Federico is not participating today,” Slot explained. “He felt unwell on Sunday night, so he did not train with us on Monday and did not travel.
“Ali participated in practice but unfortunately felt discomfort towards the end. We evaluated it and collectively decided it wasn’t wise for him to play [on Tuesday] or travel.”
When asked if Alisson could be fit for Sunday’s match against Tottenham, Slot replied, “There’s definitely a chance, yes, as we don’t anticipate it to be a serious issue, but it was too much for him to be ready by [Tuesday].”
With Alisson’s injury, Giorgi Mamardashvili is expected to make his 11th start of the season.