“I’d give anything for Osimhen’s tears” – Nigeria star inspiring Galatasaray’s UCL dream

Turkish football pundit Haluk Yürekli has praised Victor Osimhen after the Nigerian striker produced a memorable performance during Galatasaray’s dramatic 1-0 win over Liverpool in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie, Afrik-Foot reports.

The match in Istanbul began with a powerful emotional moment for the Super Eagles forward. Moments before kick-off, Galatasaray fans unveiled a special banner and choreography in the stands dedicated to Osimhen’s late mother.

The touching tribute visibly overwhelmed the Nigerian striker, who struggled to hold back tears as he looked toward the stands. The emotional moment left a deep impression on supporters inside the stadium and also on Yürekli.

The pundit admitted the scene moved him deeply.

“Victor Osimhen is a very valuable part of the Galatasaray family,” Yürekli said as per Habersarikirmizi.

“When Osimhen’s eyes filled with tears today, my eyes filled with tears too. I would give anything for Osimhen’s tears! Everyone’s eyes must have filled with tears, everyone’s hair must have stood on end.”

Despite the emotional start, Osimhen quickly regained focus and went on to play a key role in the match. The Nigerian striker created the decisive moment of the game, providing the assist that led to the only goal of the night.

That winner was scored by Mario Lemina just seven minutes into the match, giving Galatasaray a narrow advantage ahead of the return leg.

Osimhen has already proven to be a major threat for Liverpool this season. Back in September, he scored the winner when Galatasaray beat the English side 1-0 in the group stage of the competition.

Yürekli believes Osimhen’s importance to the team cannot be overstated, especially during what is shaping up to be one of the club’s most memorable European campaigns.

The Turkish analyst also highlighted the importance of goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, who has been crucial to Galatasaray’s progress in the tournament.

“There were crucial moments for Galatasaray. The missed opportunities by Wirtz and Ekitike at the beginning of the match were very critical. We think of Barış Alper Yılmaz as a machine, but even he can get tired. Uğurcan Çakır is playing a key role in Galatasaray’s progress to the round of 16. He’s delivering a performance as valuable as Osimhen’s.”

Galatasaray prepare for huge Anfield test

Galatasaray now travel to England with a 1-0 advantage as they prepare for the decisive second leg against Liverpool at Anfield.

For the Turkish champions, the stakes are extremely high. The club has not reached the Champions League quarter-finals for more than a decade, and a win or draw in this tie would mark a major moment in their modern European history.

Liverpool, meanwhile, entered the knockout stage as one of the strongest teams in the competition. The Premier League side finished third in the league phase, winning six of their eight matches.

Galatasaray’s journey to the last-16 has been equally dramatic. The Turkish side finished 20th in the league phase, but produced a stunning performance in the knockout play-off round, beating Juventus 7-5 on aggregate after a thrilling two-legged tie.

Now, just one positive result away from the quarter-finals, belief is growing among Galatasaray supporters and pundits alike.

Yürekli believes the team’s recent performances prove that their success is not a coincidence.

“Galatasaray has given us the dream of reaching the last 8 in the Champions League. This is what a ‘Conqueror of Europe’ is all about. A Galatasaray team that played with 10 men for 40 minutes against Beşiktaş… Very tough matches are being played. These things don’t happen by chance. If you beat Liverpool twice in one season, that’s a tremendous achievement.”

Liverpool will need to overturn the deficit in front of their home fans if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

But Galatasaray, inspired by Osimhen’s passion and a growing sense of belief, will arrive at Anfield convinced they can finish the job.

The winners of the tie will move on to face either Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea in the quarter-finals.