2025-01-30 AFC Ajax v Galatasaray - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 30: fans of Galatasaray with fireworks during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between AFC Ajax and Galatasaray at Johan Cruijff ArenA on January 30, 2025 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam Johan Cruijff ArenA Netherlands Content not available for redistribution in The Netherlands directly or indirectly through any third parties. Copyright: xGabrielxCalvinoxAlonsox
The fans know Anfield as having one of the most notorious atmospheres in world football. Last time in a UEFA Champions League clash, Diego Simeone got caught in all the rage.
The Atlético de Madrid gaffer clashed with the Liverpool fans after Virgil van Dijk scored the winning goal. The game ended 3-2 as the goal saw Van Dijk celebrating on one end and Simeone clashing with the fans on the other.
Following his actions, UEFA has handed him a one-match suspension. The Argentinian is absent from the sidelines in Rojiblancos’s Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Liverpool was also fined £3,492 for the Reds’ fans’ behaviour as they threw multiple objects towards the manager. This isn’t the worst of football, though, as the Liverpool players have travelled to Turkey to face Galatasaray.
Reports came in early morning that Cimbom fans have been launching fireworks post midnight in front of the Liverpool players’ hotel.
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Galatasaray fireworks near Liverpool hotel
At least a few players should be sleep-deprived following the incident, and it might heavily affect the team’s performance. Hopefully, most of them might have slept through it, but you’ll never know until the match comes to an end.
Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson talked to 10bet about his playing experience in Turkey and the fan culture there. He talked about his days at Besiktas and how the lads can avoid the psychological tricks.
“Look, the lads will all have been there or somewhere else like that in their careers before. But they can’t control it, so all they need to worry about is what is in their control.”
“You’ve got to play your normal game, and hope that a good start goes some way to silencing the crowd. It might be borderline impossible to quiet them down, but it’s easier to do if you’re winning.”
“If things go wrong and you concede early, then you only encourage the fans to get even nastier and noisier. So my advice to Liverpool is to keep it tight, stay together, ignore the crowd and get a good start. If they do that, they will be fine.”
“I played in Besiktas, and I think it was a pretty similar atmosphere. The game got stopped three times because of objects constantly getting chucked on the pitch.”
“It got to the point where we had to go off, because there were so many lighters, toilet rolls and flares being thrown on the pitch every other minute. It’s carnage.”
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