The FC Liverpool suffered its first defeat of the UEFA Champions League season on November 4, 2026, dropping a 3-2 decision to Fenerbahçe in Istanbul after squandering two separate leads.
Fenerbahçe Overcomes Two Deficits in Istanbul
Playing in the Turkish metropolis — Fenerbahçe claimed its first victory in Europe’s premier club competition since April 2008, when the club defeated Chelsea 2:1 in a quarterfinal first leg before losing the return fixture 0:2. İsmail Yüksek was later singled out by UEFA and honored with the man-of-the-match award for his performance during the encounter.
The visitors entered the contest as the 20-time English champions having previously celebrated a 6:3 victory against the LASK on the second matchday, but started the evening with Florian Wirtz initially positioned on the substitutes’ bench. Despite early pressure from the visitors that included a 3rd-minute opportunity by Víctor Muñoz saved by Ederson and a subsequent header by Jérémy Jacquet, Liverpool took the lead in the 25th minute. Trey Nyoni pounced on a loose ball and fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area that took a deflection past Ederson to open the scoring. The goal brought out protests from the home supporters who had earlier unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty following a duel between Kostas Tsimikas and Mason Greenwood.
Fenerbahçe responded immediately when İrfan Can Kahveci struck the crossbar from five metres out following a low cross. Just three minutes later, the hosts drew level in the 29th minute with a low free-kick that deflected off Jérémy Jacquet — who turned away in the defensive wall — leaving goalkeeper Alisson Becker out of balance and helpless. After the interval, both teams traded opportunities, including a 57th-minute shot by Bradley Barcola that Ederson pushed to a corner, leading to a Virgil van Dijk header that missed the target. Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola then turned to his bench, introducing Florian Wirtz in the 66th minute alongside Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak. The tactical changes paid immediate dividends when Gakpo delivered a cross that allowed Isak to head home his first Champions League goal in the red jersey from close range, restoring the English side’s advantage at 2:1 in the 69th minute.
Fenerbahçe refused to fade and equalized merely four minutes later. The ball was lofted into the box, and Cody Gakpo inadvertently directed a backward header towards Archie Brown, who coolly tapped in from close range to make it 2:2 in the 73rd minute. In the 79th minute, the stadium erupted in ecstasy when Vedat Muriqi rose above three Liverpool defenders to meet a high cross from Archie Brown, placing a sharp header past Alisson to secure the 3-2 triumph. In the frantic closing minutes, Liverpool pressed desperately for an equalizer while Fenerbahçe nearly added a fourth in stoppage time when Mattéo Guendouzi missed an empty net. The final whistle confirmed a 3:2 defeat for Andoni Iraola’s side, handing the English club its first loss of the European campaign.
Real Madrid Extends Winning Run in Athens
While Liverpool stumbled on the Bosphorus, Real Madrid maintained its flawless record in the competition with a dramatic 3-2 victory against AEK Athens at the same venue where the Greek hosts had previously defeated the LASK 1:0 on matchday one. Manager José Mourinho deployed his side, featuring German national defender Antonio Rüdiger and star forward Kylian Mbappé, while AEK contested the fixture without the ineligible Dereck Kutesa.
The visitors fell behind early when Aboubakary Koita shook off Marc Cucurella and struck a powerful shot into the near corner to give the hosts a 1:0 lead. Real thought they had equalized in the 28th minute through Vinicius Junior, but the video assistant referee disallowed the goal due to a touch from Jude Bellingham in the buildup. However, the Spanish record champions leveled the score in the 32nd minute when Jude Bellingham met a sharp cross from Cucurella with a stunning volley-heel finish using his weaker left foot.
The response from the visitors was swift once again. Kylian Mbappé equalized just three minutes later in the 78th minute following combination play involving Jude Bellingham and Denzel Dumfries, and the French star subsequently struck the crossbar in the 86th minute. In the second minute of stoppage time, substitute Federico Valverde drove a sharp, decisive long-range shot from 20 metres out into the right corner to seal the 3-2 victory. The result marks Real Madrid’s seventh victory across all competitions, keeping the club perfect with four wins from four matches in the Champions League ligaphase, though the match concluded with Aboubakary Koita receiving a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct after the final whistle.
Fenerbahçe fight back to earn a huge Champions League win over Liverpool 😱🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/nx4JIYQElo
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🇹🇷 Fenerbahçe came from behind twice to beat 🏴 Liverpool 3–2 in the 🔵 Champions League, in. agame to remember, with goals from Greenwood, Brown and Muriqi while Nyoni and Isak had scored for Liverpool. The win changes Fenerbahçe’s chances a lot: they are now projected to reach… pic.twitter.com/DBbfaCdIdM