Robbie Fowler scored twice but Liverpool just did not have the heart or interest to produce another 3-3 thriller at the Ataturk stadium, Galatasaray winning 3-2 in this Group C encounter.
Fowler put Liverpool into an early lead at the same stadium that saw Liverpool produce the thrilling three-goal comeback that put them on the way to the UEFA Champions League crown 18 months ago.
But with nothing riding on this final Group C match, and a seriously weakened side on the pitch, they were unable to stop Galatasaray claiming some pride and their first group win in a disappointing campaign for the Turkish champions.
Fowler headed a second with just a couple of minutes left, but in truth Liverpool did not really deserve to take anything from a match that meant little to them, having already won this group.
They now will await the last 16 draw later this month and put their European dreams in cold storage until March.
By then they will almost certainly have new Dubai-based owners to oversee the knock-out stages.
Liverpool's return to the Ataturk was a far cry from that last famous visit.
Back then this white-elephant of a venue was rocking to the sound of 40,000-plus Liverpool fans - this time around a ground that is barely used these days was not even half full.
That was the sad reality of a match with little importance other than pride and the £500,000 prize money.
Liverpool are already group winners with the Turkish champions certain to finish bottom.
And it gave Liverpool the chance to blood youngsters Lee Peltier and Danny Guthrie in their European debuts, while Jerzy Dudek was in goal to make what will be his swansong appearance for the club on the ground where he was a penalty shoot-out hero of Liverpool's fifth European Cup triumph.
Jamie Carragher captained the side, again in a holding midfield role again with Guthrie on the left of midfield and John Arne Riise returning to left-back.
It took just two minutes for Dudek to be scrambling across the goal in which he conceded three against AC Milan, though this time he was stretching for a curling free-kick from Sabri Sarioglu that just cleared the far post.
The youthfulness of Liverpool's central defence, comprising Daniel Agger and Gabriel Paletta, gave cause for concern at times, Peltier also having trouble with Marcelo Carrusca's runs.
Umit Karan, who scored twice for Galatasaray in their 3-2 defeat at Anfield, managed to get to a 20th minute free-kick ahead of Dudek's punch that soared over before Liverpool struck.
Craig Bellamy's left-wing cross cleared Stjepan Tomas' leap and fell into Fowler's path, the veteran sending the ball into the net off his thigh.
But Liverpool's joy was short-lived. Two minutes after Fowler's effort, the Turks were level.
Xabi Alonso's hurried ball into the heart of his own defence split Paletta and Agger and was snapped up by Necati Ates, who surged into the box to guide his shot past Dudek into the bottom corner.
It got worse for Liverpool four minutes later. Paletta's header from a corner fell perfectly 20 yards out for Okan Buruk, who met the dropping ball on the volley and sent it curling away from Dudek's dive to give Galatasaray the lead.
Liverpool had kept clean sheets in six of their previous seven matches, and both goals were certainly avoidable.
They responded with a couple of efforts from Carragher and a stabbed shot from Bellamy, saved by Faryd Mondragon.
It could have been worse for Liverpool before the break, Dudek needing an outstretched leg to stop Sarioglu adding to the lead.
Galatasaray had lost the injured Necati Ates seconds before the break, Sasa Ilic taking over, with Emre Asik replaced at half-time by Tolga Seyhan.
But the changes failed to halt Galatasaray's growing control. Teenager Peltier was clearly being targeted, constantly attacked by two men. And he needed to haul back Sarioglu fractionally outside the box to avoid the Gala man getting clear on the left.
It could have been three for the hosts on 53 minutes when Umit Karan's flicked header from Carrusca's free-kick hit the inside of the far post and somehow bounced out.
Liverpool were sloppy, with continual loss of possession, although from one chipped Alonso free-kick, Fowler shot on the turn only to see the clever effort blocked by Mondragon.
Liverpool withdrew Guthrie and sent on Luis Garcia, but still the passing was poor and the hosts were snapping away in midfield, intent on getting something from a disappointing European campaign.
The Reds sent on Peter Crouch for Bellamy, which just underlined what boss Rafael Benitez thought of the match, preferring to have the Welshman fit for Saturday's home game with Fulham.
Galatasaray then withdrew Carrusca, sending on Mehmet Guven. And it was Guven on 79 minutes who got past Riise to lay the ball back for substitute Sasa Ilic to side-foot home the third.
Miki Roque came on for his debut in place of Alonso while Pennant was booked near the end, and it was Pennant's chipped cross that set up Fowler for a headed second with two minutes left.
But by then it was too much to expect another 3-3 draw by Liverpool on this pitch.
