The Champions League returns from Tuesday evening with the second round of league matches, and 11th placed Liverpool travel to Turkey and what could be an interesting game at RAMS Park against Galatasaray.
Gone are the days when opposition players were greeted with 'Welcome to Hell' banners, flares and an incredibly intense atmosphere created by ultra supporters, but the noise that the home supporters are going to make inside the ground is not to be underestimated.
Liverpool big favourites
Liverpool will head into the game as clear favourites after Gala were thumped 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday one; however, in the four previous clashes against the Turkish giants, the Reds have won just once (L1, D2).
Under both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, the Premier League outfit have won 13 of their last 14 group stage/league phase matches in the UCL (and six of their last seven away games in Europe), with their only loss being against PSV Eindhoven in 2024/25 when qualification to the knockout stage was already assured.
Their attacking capabilities aren't in question either as they've scored in every Champions League game since Atalanta beat them 2-0 in November 2020.
Almost five years later, the Reds have scored an astonishing 56 goals in just 23 games, so if Galatasaray want to stop Liverpool in their tracks, then they are going to have to alter recent history too.
Seven years since Gala won in the UCL at home
That's because they're currently on a winless run of eight home games in the competition which is the longest in the club's history.
Indeed, it's been seven long years - a 3-0 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow in September 2018 - since they won a UCL game in front of their own fans.
Furthermore, they've lost 12 of the last 18 games in the European Cup/Champions League, winning just once and drawing five times.
A couple of slight omens in their favour are the fact that they've not lost their two opening UCL games since the 2012/13 season, and Liverpool didn't beat them in the last two fixtures in Turkey (though the last of those was almost 19 years ago).
In that 2006 game, current coach Okan Buruk played and scored for Galatasaray in a 3-2 win.
Interestingly, the Reds have won only once before against a Turkish team in Turkey, when Roy Hodgson led his team to a 2-1 Europa League victory over Trabzonspor in 2010/11, and they've never kept a clean sheet in the country.
A first for Arne Slot
In 70 European matches as a coach, Slot hasn't faced a Turkish team, so it will be a new experience at least for him. Clearly, Gala will have to be at their very, very best to emerge with credit in this one, but they may take heart from Liverpool's Premier League form.
A loss against Crystal Palace on Sunday may have been their first in the 2025/26 campaign, but there have been a number of fixtures where Slot's side have looked vulnerable at the back.
Fortunately, they do still have the likes of Mo Salah up front to bang in the goals, and were the Egyptian King to get a brace on Tuesday night, he will not only have scored 50 goals in the Champions League, but also 250 for the club in all competitions.
One goal from any Liverpool player will also see them bring up 300 European goals away from home too, which is another landmark to be proud of.
They will need to see some consistency from Florian Wirtz, however, such as that which he showed in the last game against Atletico Madrid when he created five chances from open play.
Osimhen out?
For the hosts, Victor Osimhen is still struggling for fitness and the game may come too soon for him, which would be the bitterest of blows for both the club and the striker himself.
In his potential absence, Gala do have a number of players that will understand exactly the threat that the Reds possess.
That's because Leroy Sane, Davinson Sanchez, Mario Lemina and Lucas Torreira have also previously tested themselves against the reigning Premier League champions.
Not forgetting Ilkay Gundogan, will surely be tasked with showing his class in midfield and creating chances against a team he enjoyed having some heated battles against in the English top-flight.
The reality is that whoever scores the first goal in this match is almost certainly going to dictate the pattern of the game.
Were Gala to do so, whilst it's unlikely they will shut up shop completely, there's every reason to think that they will then play to frustrate their visitors and not allow them to build up a head of steam.
If Liverpool strikes the first blow, the hosts have to come out and play, and with space to knock the ball around, the Reds can, and likely will be devastating.