Victor Osimhen: Turkish Pundit Sends Message to Galatasaray Star Ahead of Champions League Clash
- A Turkish commentator has praised Victor Osimhen’s influence on Galatasaray, particularly in the Champions League
- The Super Eagles striker has been the difference maker for the Turkish champions since joining the club last season
- Galatasaray is prepared to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the final group game of the UCL
A Turkish football commentator has singled out Victor Osimhen for praise for his influence on Galatasaray, particularly in the UEFA Champions League.
Osimhen has been Galatasaray’s best player since joining the club on an initial loan spell in the 2024/25 season, before making it permanent at the start of this season.
Source: Instagram
The Turkish champions rely on Osimhen’s performance, especially in the Champions League, to recoup a huge part of his €75 million transfer fee and big wages.
Galatasaray is on the verge of qualifying for the knockout stage of this season’s Champions League ahead of the final group game against Manchester City on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
A win will guarantee their place in the playoff spot, while a draw or even a loss could suffice if the results in the other final day group matches favour them.
The Lions sit 17th on the 36-team table with 10 points, three ahead of 27th-place Club Brugge, who could still qualify for the next stage of the competition.
Turkish pundit praises Osimhen
Turkish football commentator Reha Kapsal praised Victor Osimhen as the central figure to Galatasaray’s Champions League push this season.
“Osimhen has officially become the 'palace' of Galatasaray; he's the one who brought Galatasaray to this point. I haven't seen another player recently who single-handedly changed a team's environment so much,” he said as quoted by Haber Sari Kirmizi.
“Osimhen is the player who primarily enabled Galatasaray to become the leader and continue its journey in the Champions League.”
Galatasaray are winless in the Champions League without Osimhen this season, losing both matches the Super Eagles striker missed due to injury and AFCON 2025.
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View images from Galatasaray's training below.
Gala lost the opening match 5-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt, and won three on the bounce against Liverpool, Boro/Glimt and Ajax, during which Osimhen scored six goals, as noted by Transfermarkt.
The Turkish champions lost to Royal Union Saint-Gilloise in his absence, and also lost to Monaco in Osimhen's last UCL game before travelling to AFCON.
On his return from AFCON, the Lions secured a huge point against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano, even though he did not get on the scoresheet.
Source: Getty Images
Okan Buruk counts on the Nigerian forward to secure a big result against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the final game to ensure knockout stage qualification.
The Nigerian has also scored seven league goals, taking his tally for this season to 13 goals in all competitions for the Istanbul-based club.
Osimhen sends message to Man City
Legit.ng reported that Victor Osimhen sent a message to Manchester City ahead of the UEFA Champions League final group stage match
The Turkish champions face a must-win match against the English giants to guarantee their spots in the knockout stage of the competition.
Source: Legit.ng
