- Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk disclosed what he told Victor Osimhen before the striker scored against Juventus
- The Italian side nearly staged a dramatic comeback, beating the Turkish giants 3-0 to push the match to extra time
- Osimhen sparked Galatasaray’s comeback against Juventus with his extra-time goal to seal a 7-5 aggregate win
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk has disclosed what he told Victor Osimhen before the striker scored against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League on February 25, 2026.
The Italian titans staged a dramatic comeback against the Turkish giants, scoring three goals in 90 minutes to overturn a 5-2 deficit and pushing the match to extra time.
Source: Getty Images
Galatasaray’s one-man advantage played its part as the Turkish champions scored two goals in the extra time to seal a 7-5 aggregate win.
Victor Osimhen scored in the 106th minute before Baris Alper Yilmaz added the second goal, sending the Turkish team into the UCL Round of 16.
What Okan Buruk told Osimhen vs Juventus
Juventus stretched Galatasaray in regulation time before the Lions took back the game in the extra time, thanks to the Nigerian star’s relentlessness.
Head coach Okan Buruk has opened up about his discussion with Victor Osimhen before his goal, which led to the comeback and eventual progression.
“At halftime, we talked about the need for more teamwork and confidence in the players. Relying on long balls to protect the score and avoiding responsibility wasn’t the right approach. I was expecting a better performance in the second half, but the opposite happened,” he told GS TV.
“Despite this, I told Victor Osimhen to stay calm, that the opportunity would come. And indeed, that opportunity came, he scored, and became one of the players who changed the course of the match. He deserved it; I congratulated him,” Buruk continued.
Osimhen was displeased with his teammates’ performance, and his manager echoed his thoughts, saying that they have to raise their level to succeed in the Champions League.
“Our performance, especially after switching to 11 against 10, was unacceptable. We should have finished the match much more comfortably, but it looked like we were the ones playing with fewer players,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
Galatasaray facing stiff competition in UCL R16
The Galatasaray coach concluded:
“We made too many mistakes, both with and without possession. We couldn’t create chances, we allowed the opponent to attack, and we conceded two goals. The mindset of ‘we’ll win anyway’ is unacceptable at this level.”
The draw for the knockout stages will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, with the Turkish side set to face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur, according to Fanatik.
Galatasaray faced Liverpool in the group stage and won 1-0 thanks to Victor Osimhen’s goal, and the striker admitted he would relish the challenge of playing against the English champions once again.
Why Osimhen didn’t celebrate his goal
We also reported that Victor Osimhen explained why he did not celebrate, despite scoring a crucial goal for Galatasaray against Juventus.
The striker claimed that it was out of respect for his former manager, Luciano Spalletti, who leads Juve, and because of his team’s poor performance.