UCL: Davide Ancelotti Shares Plan to Stop Osimhen During Lille vs Galatasaray
- Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti outlined his team's approach to containing Victor Osimhen ahead of their Champions League clash
- Osimhen will face his former club Lille on Wednesday, having gone without a goal or assist in the UCL so far this season
- Galatasaray are yet to win in their first two Champions League matches, adding pressure on the Nigerian striker to deliver
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Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti has revealed that stopping Victor Osimhen in their UEFA Champions League clash against Galatasaray on Wednesday will require a coordinated team effort rather than placing that responsibility on a single defender.
Ancelotti made the comments at a pre-match press conference, with the Nigerian striker set to face his former club in what promises to be a high-stakes return.
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Galatasaray head into Wednesday's fixture without a single point from their opening two Champions League games, making a positive result against Lille critical to their hopes of progressing in the competition.
Ancelotti's warning on Osimhen
Speaking ahead of the match, the Lille coach was careful not to underestimate the forward, acknowledging the kind of damage he can do when given space and time on the ball.
"We stop him as a team. It doesn't depend on one player; it always depends on the team," Ancelotti was quoted as saying by Le Petit Lillois.
"He's a player who, in Naples, almost single-handedly won the Scudetto."
The Italian coach also said his players cannot afford to switch off at either end of the pitch, insisting that concentration will be key in managing Osimhen's threat.
"We know his potential; we know we always have to be vigilant when attacking and when defending," he added.
Osimhen has struggled for impact in Europe's elite competition this season. He missed Galatasaray's opening group fixture against Sporting Lisbon through injury and failed to find the net in a 4-1 defeat to Barcelona, leaving him without an attacking contribution in the UCL so far.
Osimhen, who spent a season at Lille before his move to Napoli, where he won the Serie A title, will be eager to prove his quality against a side that knows him well. The forward is expected to lead the line for the Turkish champions as they look to turn their European campaign around.
Buruk warns Galatasaray players
Legit.ng previously reported that head coach Okan Buruk warned his Galatasaray players ahead of their Champions League clash against Lille.
The manager admitted that their losing start to this season’s competition makes their remaining matches crucial, starting against Lille.
Source: Legit.ng
