Champions League Playoff: Osimhen Admits Disappointment Despite Galatasaray’s Success Over Juventus

Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen did not hold back in his assessment of Galatasaray S.K.’s display on a chaotic night in Turin, even as the Turkish champions booked their place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the expense of Juventus F.C..

Galatasaray progressed after an absorbing second leg that spilt into extra time on Wednesday night, sealing a 7-5 aggregate triumph. Having carried a commanding 5-2 advantage from the first leg in Istanbul, the visitors were forced to weather a storm at the Allianz Stadium before finally getting over the line.

Juventus raced into a 3-0 lead on the night, threatening to turn the tie on its head. Osimhen responded when it mattered most, pulling one back to make it 3-1 and nudging Galatasaray 6-5 ahead on aggregate. With nerves stretched thin and the Italian side pushing desperately, Barış Alper Yılmaz struck late to settle the game and confirm qualification.

Yet, amid the relief and celebrations, Osimhen struck a different tone. Speaking live on CBS Sports Golazo after the match, the 27-year-old Nigerian offered a frank verdict on the performance.

“If I have to be honest with you, I am disappointed with the performance of the team,” Osimhen said.

“Kudos to Juventus for the kind of display they put up. We qualified, but we have a lot to improve on if we go into the next round to play the big dogs.

“This performance was not really good. Juventus deserved the win, but I’m happy for my team to qualify for the next round.”

He went further, questioning the mindset of some within the squad during the fiercest moments of the tie.

“Some of my teammates were timid. I tried to motivate them, but I cannot do it alone. They were scared by the crowd and the way Juventus were playing,” the Nigerian striker said.

“But I know this team; when you sit back and let them play, they will even do more damage. They even played better with the red card than when they were 11 players.”

Attention now shifts to the Round of 16 draw, where Galatasaray could be paired with either Liverpool F.C. or Tottenham Hotspur F.C..

Osimhen is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge. He said, “Meeting Liverpool now is going to be like some sort of revenge.

“Anyone we meet now… I wouldn’t say much, but I would like to escape Liverpool.

“But if they come, yeah, we are going to dig it out, but it’s not going to be easy.”