‘Very pathetic’ – Gerrard slams Osimhen’s Galatasaray after Liverpool humbling

Liverpool produced a commanding performance to sweep aside Galatasaray 4-0 at Anfield, overturning a first-leg deficit to reach the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-1 aggregate victory, Afrik-Foot reports.

However, much of the post-match reaction centred not just on Liverpool’s quality, but on a scathing assessment from former Reds captain Steven Gerrard, who did not hold back in his criticism of the Turkish side.

Speaking after the game, Gerrard was clearly frustrated with what he saw of Galatasaray, both in terms of performance and behaviour.

He told TNT Sports as per TF: “People came here tonight wanting to see a fast paced match and they were rolling around the floor. They were an embarrassment tonight from start to finish. The performance in general was poor, pathetic really.”

He continued his criticism by pointing to repeated stoppages and what he felt was exaggerated contact from Galatasaray players.

“Then you’ve got players rolling around. They got a couple of genuine injuries tonight, wrist injuries which you respect. As a professional you don’t want to see that. But then you see people who aren’t really touched and are rolling around on the floor.”

Despite those complaints, Gerrard made it clear that Liverpool’s dominance was overwhelming regardless.

“You get punished for it because they played five minutes at the end of the first half and you get punished even more. There were 11 minutes (in total) at the end of the game. The game could have been 11-0 or 12-0 tonight. Liverpool won at a canter. Liverpool were excellent tonight, they made Galatasaray look bang average. But I thought their performance was pathetic.”

Osimhen injury proves decisive in Galatasaray struggles

While Gerrard criticised the overall display, Galatasaray’s night was also badly affected by a serious injury to key striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian forward suffered a fractured arm early in the match after a collision with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté.

Osimhen tried to continue playing despite the injury, showing determination as he remained on the pitch until half-time with his arm heavily bandaged. However, the injury clearly limited his effectiveness. He managed only a handful of touches and was unable to influence the game in the way Galatasaray needed.

By the interval, he was forced off and replaced, leaving Galatasaray without their main attacking threat for the second half.

The absence of their focal point up front made it even harder for the visitors to respond as Liverpool continued to dominate proceedings.

Medical assessments after the match confirmed the fracture, with the striker now facing a spell on the sidelines and a possible operation. Substitute Noa Lang also suffered a serious injury and is expected to undergo surgery, adding to Galatasaray’s concerns.

In the end, Liverpool’s intensity, quality and control proved far too much, but the loss of Osimhen at a crucial stage removed any realistic hope of a comeback. Combined with the performance Gerrard described so bluntly, it made for a difficult and disappointing night for the Turkish side at Anfield.