- Liverpool and Galatasaray will face off in the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League
- Turkish football pundit Emre Bol claimed that Victor Osimhen is better than Liverpool forwards
- Legit.ng examines how Osimhen’s stats compare to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this season
The buildup to Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 has sparked debates about who has the better players among the two sides.
Turkish football commentator Emre Bol claimed that Victor Osimhen is better than Liverpool strikers Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this season.
Source: Getty Images
“Does Liverpool have players like Osimhen and Uğurcan Çakır? I don’t think so. Galatasaray’s strikers and goalkeepers are better than Liverpool’s,” he said as quoted by Haber Sari Kirmizi.
He added that this should give Galatasaray the edge, and beating Liverpool in the group stage through Victor Osimhen’s penalty proves they can do it again.
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Sequel to Bol’s comments, Legit.ng compares Osimhen’s stats to Liverpool strikers Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike’s numbers this season.
Osimhen vs Isak and Ekitike
Victor Osimhen’s stats
Osimhen joined Galatasaray permanently at the start of this season after spending the 2024/25 season on loan at the Turkish club from Napoli, during which he scored 37 goals.
He had a slow start this season, primarily due to returning from the September and October international breaks with fitness issues, but he remains Galatasaray’s most threatening player.
As noted by Transfermarkt, he has scored an impressive 17 goals and provided six assists this season, despite playing only 25 matches in all competitions.
Hugo Ekitike’s stats
Ekitike joined Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth €85 million and hit the ground running immediately, scoring on his debut against Bournemouth.
However, his minutes declined when Isak signed for a British record transfer fee, but he became the main man again when the Swedish striker got injured.
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He has featured in 37 matches in all competitions this season, scoring 16 goals and providing six assists. In eight Champions League games, he has two goals and one assist.
Source: Getty Images
Alexander Isak’s stats
Isak joined Liverpool for a British record transfer fee of £125 million after a long, drawn-out transfer battle with Newcastle United, who wanted to keep him.
His arrival coincided with Liverpool going on a run of six losses in eight Premier League matches, during which he failed to score, providing one assist during the 2-1 loss to Chelsea.
His breakthrough came during the 2-1 win over Tottenham on November 30, 2025, and in the same match, he suffered a broken fibula, which has kept him out of action since then.
The Swedish international featured in 17 matches in all competitions before his injury, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
Osimhen has statistically outperformed the two Liverpool strikers. In fewer matches, he has more goals and assists than French striker Ekitike.
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The Super Eagles forward, despite having eight fewer games than Isak, has scored 14 more goals and provided five more assists than the former Newcastle star.
However, Liverpool’s attack has mostly not relied on the two forwards as they have other goal outlets, including Mohamed Salah, who has seven goals and eight assists this season.
Cody Gakpo has eight goals and four assists, Dominik Szoboszlai has 10 goals and eight assists, and Florian Wirtz has six goals and eight assists.
Osimhen’s stats against English clubs
Legit.ng analysed Victor Osimhen’s stats against English clubs ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 against Liverpool.
The Super Eagles forward has enjoyed a great outing against English clubs, scoring six goals in seven matches across the Europa and Champions League.
Source: Legit.ng