Some criticisms in the Liverpool fan community may suggest that Arne Slot should not mention this milestone, but the history of the team shows that reaching 100 matches in charge is almost inevitable for coaches at Anfield.
The Dutch strategist is preparing to enter his 100th match as Liverpool captain. In club history, only 3 official coaches have not reached this milestone. Even Kenny Dalglish - one of Liverpool's biggest symbols - has surpassed that number in his first term.
In fact, only Roy Hodgson and manager and secretary George Patterson - a name almost forgotten in The Kop's history - are two cases that have not reached the 100-match milestone.
Dalglish is also a name with an interesting connection to Slot. The second term of the Scottish legend ended right after the FA Cup final, creating a certain similarity. However, Dalglish still holds the record for the most wins in the first 100 matches with Liverpool with 62 matches.
If Liverpool defeats Galatasaray in Istanbul, Slot will surpass this record to become the coach with the best winning record after the first 100 matches in club history.
Slot's winning rate is largely built from an extremely impressive start, when he won 18 in the first 20 matches. Since then, his winning rate is 55.6% - a figure quite similar to the achievement of Rafa Benitez, the captain who led Liverpool to the historic Champions League title in Istanbul in 2005.
However, if only counting the last 36 matches, Slot's win rate has decreased to 50%, similar to Brendan Rodgers' achievement in the final stage of his term at Anfield.
One of the matches in that unstable performance series took place at Rams Park, where Liverpool once lost to Galatasaray. Therefore, the upcoming rematch in Istanbul contains many risks, as Juventus once experienced when they were eliminated here.
However, Liverpool can see this match as an opportunity. After topping the Champions League table last season, they have to face Paris Saint-Germain again due to the new format. This year, the third-placed team like Liverpool will only have to face the 20th-placed team - a more comfortable opponent.
Liverpool's advantage is playing the second leg at Anfield. That means they do not necessarily have to gain a big advantage in Istanbul, as long as they avoid a disastrous scenario like Juventus - a team that conceded 4 goals in a half.
From many perspectives, Slot's second season at Anfield is less convincing than the first season. However, the "Reds" have gone further in the FA Cup and still have a chance to do the same in the Champions League.
Although not really showing the image of a European championship contender, Liverpool still had notable victories against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Inter Milan in this season's journey.
Statistics are also on Slot's side. He has a win rate of 77.7% in the Champions League as Liverpool coach. If this number is maintained for many seasons, success is almost inevitable.
However, part of that impressive achievement comes from the legacy that Jurgen Klopp left behind. The squad that Slot took over once reached 3 Champions League finals under the German strategist.
Currently, Liverpool has changed significantly. This is shown when Ryan Gravenberch just signed a new 6-year contract. The Dutch midfielder was brought in by Klopp but became a mainstay under Slot.
Dominik Szoboszlai is also a similar case. The Hungarian player was recruited by Klopp in the summer of 2023 but is developing strongly under Slot's leadership. If he continues to score or assist against Galatasaray, Szoboszlai could become the first Liverpool player to participate in scoring in 7 consecutive Champions League matches.
The extension with Gravenberch and negotiating a new contract with Szoboszlai show that Liverpool is building a long-term future. However, that also comes with great financial pressure.
Liverpool currently owns the highest salary fund in the Premier League, about 428 million pounds. In addition, they have spent about 450 million pounds on transfers, causing operating costs to increase significantly.
Therefore, expectations for Slot are also increasing. The biggest question now is whether he can turn this expensive squad into a team strong enough to dominate like previous generations.
An interesting irony is that Benitez's Liverpool in 2005 - the Champions League champion in Istanbul - also only ranked fifth in the Premier League, the same position that Slot's team is holding.
This time, Liverpool does not need a miracle like the historic Istanbul night. But they need a positive result for Slot to get closer to the milestone of 200 matches leading Liverpool, and possibly his first Champions League quarter-final with the team.
