Galatasaray booked their spot in the Champions League Round of 16 after an extra-time win in the second leg in Turin on Wednesday night, sealing a thrilling 7–5 aggregate victory following a dominant 5–2 first-leg win in Istanbul.
Juventus raced into a 3–0 lead on the night before Osimhen pulled one back to make it 3–1, restoring Galatasaray’s aggregate advantage at 6–5. A late strike from Barış Alper Yılmaz eventually sealed qualification for the Turkish champions.
Speaking live on CBS Sports Golazo after the match, the 27-year-old Nigerian forward did not hide his frustration with his 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,” Osimhen said.
He added that Juventus deserved to win the match on the night, even though Galatasaray progressed.
“This performance was not really good. Juventus deserved the win, but I’m happy for my team to qualify for the next round.”
Osimhen further revealed that fear and pressure from the Juventus crowd affected some of his teammates.
“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,” he stated.
Interestingly, the striker noted that Juventus appeared more dangerous even after receiving a red card.
“They even played better with the red card than when they were 11 players.”
Osimhen’s honest assessment sparked mixed reactions on social media. While many fans praised his leadership and transparency, others expressed concern that such comments could create tension within the squad.
Looking ahead to the Round of 16 draw, where Galatasaray could face Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur, Osimhen admitted the challenge ahead.
“Meeting Liverpool now is going to be like some sort of revenge.
Anyone we meet now… I would like to escape Liverpool.
But if they come, we will dig it out — it won’t be easy.”
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