Brendan Rodgers has made five changes from his Liverpool side who defeated Southampton 2-0 on Sunday for tonight's Europa League round-of-32 second leg away tie against Besiktas, including bringing Mario Balotelli in for his first start since November.
Balotelli, of course, came on as a substitute for Liverpool in the first leg at Anfield last Thursday, and scored the injury-time penalty to win the game 1-0.
But the winning goal was not without the controversy that constantly follows Balotelli around. He snatched the ball off then then-captain Jordan Henderson, who sis rested tonight, to take it. Usual Reds captain Steven Gerrard, working as a pundit that night due to injury, blasted the Italian as "disrespectful".
"Basically Henderson should have took that penalty," Gerrard told ITV after that match.
"I think Mario has been a bit mischievous by stepping in front of him and going against what the manager's planned before the game.
"Credit to him, he's scored, but it would be very interesting in that dressing room if he'd have missed that penalty.
Besiktas: Gonen, Kurtuluş, Necip Uysal, Franco, Opare, Veli Kavlak, Hutchinson, Tore, Sosa, Sahan, Ba.
Subs: Fidayeo, Pektemek, Ozyakup, Arslan, Koyunlu, Boral, Nukan
Liverpool: Mignolet, Toure, Skrtel, Lovren, Allen, Can, Moreno, Ibe, Sterling, Balotelli, Sturridge.
Subs: Ward, Manquillo, Williams, Brannagan, Lallana, Lambert, Borini.
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