Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has harped on Victor Osimhen's impact in Galatasaray's 5-2 smashing of his former club on Tuesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Turkish giants Galatasaray claimed a sweet victory over Turin big boys Juventus in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoffs.
Goals from Gabriel Sara, Noa Lang, Davinson Sánchez, and Sacha Boey ensured that Teun Koopmeiners' brace was only a consolation.
Super Eagles top marksman Osimhen was in action on the night and played the entire 90 minutes. He had limited chances and failed to score, even though he was expected to be the most dangerous man on the pitch.
Nonetheless, he made an impact in another way, as his pressing prowess led to Galatasaray's last two goals.
The Super Eagles star picked Lloyd Kelly's pocket and laid the ball off to Lang for Galatasaray's fourth, before wrestling the ball away from Thuram to set up the fifth.
The result puts the “Cimbom” in the driver's seat going into the return leg in Turin next week. Speaking after the game, Juventus legend Del Piero, who was one of the best strikers of his generation, laid bare Osimhen's importance to Galatasaray. He also underscored the Nigerian's doggedness as a key attribute.
“The very existence of players like Victor Osimhen is frightening… He’s a cold-blooded, high-quality player. He never gives up,” Del Piero said, per Futboo
These words from a legend like Del Piero, who cored 346 goals in his 24-year career just shows how great Osimhen is.
Can Juventus Stop Victor Osimhen in Turin?
Going into the second leg of the tie, Juventus have their work cut out for them. They must defeat the Cimbom by at least four goals to stand a chance of making it to the next round.
However, they must also be wary of the attacking threat that Galatasaray carry. Victor Osimhen is one of the best marksmen in the world, and on Tuesday, he showed that he can affect the game even if he doesn't find the back of the net.
What makes the situation tougher for Juventus is that Osimhen has played in Italy before. In fact, just a few seasons ago, he conquered Serie A with Napoli.
Given his understanding of the terrain, he is likely to excel. Moreover, Spalletti's team has been notorious for conceding goals this season.
The Super Eagles star will definitely be hyped up to make an impact in Turin next week.
