- Victor Osimhen publicly criticised Galatasaray S.K.’s overall performance despite their qualification for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16
- He admitted Juventus “deserved the win” and stressed that his team must significantly improve if they hope to compete against stronger opponents in the next round
- The Super Eagles striker revealed that some teammates appeared “timid” and were affected by the hostile atmosphere in Turin
The Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, has openly criticised Galatasaray S.K.’s performance despite their dramatic progression to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the expense of Juventus F.C..
Galatasaray secured qualification after an extra-time victory in Wednesday’s second leg in Turin, completing a 7-5 aggregate triumph. The Turkish champions had established a commanding 5-2 advantage in the first leg at home but were pushed to the limit in Italy.
Osimhen reduced the deficit at 3-0 to make it 3-1 on the night, restoring Galatasaray’s aggregate lead at 6-5. Barış Alper Yılmaz later struck a decisive late goal to confirm their passage into the next round.
Speaking live on CBS Sports Golazo after the match, the 27-year-old delivered a frank evaluation of the team’s display.
“If I have to be honest with you, I am disappointed with the performance of the team
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,” Osimhen said.
He further revealed concerns about his teammates’ mentality during the high-pressure encounter.
“Some of my teammates were timid. I tried to motivate them — I cannot do it alone. They were scared by the crowd and the way Juventus were playing.
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.”
His candid remarks sparked debate across social media platforms. While many supporters applauded his honesty and leadership, others suggested the public criticism could potentially unsettle the dressing room.
Attention now turns to the Round of 16 draw, where Galatasaray could be paired with either Liverpool F.C. or Tottenham Hotspur F.C..
Osimhen admitted he is aware of the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
“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,” he said.