Champions League/Galatasaray 3 Liverpool: After all the talk of multi-million pound takeovers and the romantic return to Istanbul, almost inevitably, came anti-climax for Liverpool last night. Their group campaign ended with a sloppy, if irrelevant, defeat to Galatasaray in a contest played out in a stadium barely a quarter full and by two makeshift sides with eyes on domestic priorities.
Rafael Benitez will hardly care given his side secured their place in the knock-out phase long ago but, nevertheless, this all seemed distinctly inappropriate.
Where their previous visit to this arena some 19 months ago culminated arguably in this club's finest hour, Liverpool's return was memorable only for Robbie Fowler's first Champions League goals. The second, nodded into an empty net from Jermaine Pennant's cross as full-time approached, proved nothing more than a consolation.
From the miracle of Istanbul and the frenzy of their comeback and victory over Milan, this was distinctly forgettable.
The banks of empty seats, hugged by a stinking smog which descended as the temperature plummeted, made this an eerie occasion, particularly with Liverpool's future effectively being shaped in the team's absence back on Merseyside.
The city financiers JP Morgan spent yesterday scrutinising the club's books on behalf of Dubai International Capital as the state-owned private equity firm prepare a bid to purchase the Premiership club. But while Benitez's side traded goals in Turkey, the implications of the potential £450million takeover were vexing minds elsewhere.
Uefa may not object to clubs falling into the hands of foreign-based owners, but European football's governing body expressed concerns yesterday that DIC's potential purchase might widen the chasm between football's haves and have-nots. "That is the immediate threat which, in the long-term, might lead to inflation in wages and transfer fees and a concentration of power that could destroy the game," said the Uefa spokesman William Gaillard. "That is why Uefa are in favour of proposals where a club is limited to spending a proportion of its revenue."
There was a carefree air about Liverpool's makeshift side here. Their defending was at times reminiscent of the ramshackle display which facilitated Milan's 3-0 half-time lead at the Ataturk on their last visit. Xabi Alonso's horribly misplaced pass split his own defence after 24 minutes with Necati Ates spearing his shot beyond Jerzy Dudek.
Four minutes later Gabriel Paletta could only head Marcelo Carrusca's corner high into the air. Okan Buruk, 25 yards out, was unchallenged as he volleyed through the clutter in the area and into the corner with Dudek sprawling. Sabri Sarioglu, a constant threat, should have added a third before the interval only for Dudek to block from close range.
Those goals overhauled the lead Liverpool's initial assuredness had merited. They had passed and probed effectively enough through the opening exchanges and, when Craig Bellamy was granted time on the left flank, Fowler trundled between Stjepan Tomas and Ergun Penbe at the far post to bundle his first goal in the Champions League proper into the gaping net off his thigh.
The former England striker was denied an equaliser when Faryd Mondragon blocked his shot from Alonso's clever free-kick as the hour approached but Galatasaray offered greater urgency. Umit Karan, who had scored twice in his side's 3-2 defeat at Anfield, flicked Ergun Penbe's free-kick on to a post and Carrusca's overhead kick was claimed by a nervy Dudek.
The Pole did well to stop another Karan shot, but Liverpool's sloppiness continued. The substitute Mehmet Guven teased his way easily beyond John Arne Riise, the left-back being left in a confused heap, with his pull-back poked into the unguarded net by Sasa Ilic.
GALATASARAY: Mondragon; Cihan, Tomas, Emre Asik (Seyhan 46), Penbe; Sabri Sarioglu, Inamoto, Okan Buruk, Carrusca (Mehmet Gueven 75); Umit Karan, Necati Ates (Ilic half-time). Subs not used: Aykut Ercetin, Hasan Sas, Topal, Hasan Kabze.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek; Peltier, Carragher, Agger, Riise; Pennant, Alonso (Roque 84), Paletta, Guthrie (Luis Garcia 66); Bellamy (Crouch 74), Fowler. Subs not used: Martin, Anderson, Kuyt, Darby
Referee: O Benquerenca (Portugal).
