Victor Osimhen says he would prefer not to face Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League last-16 draw after helping Galatasaray knock out Juventus in a thrilling play-off tie, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Turkish champions progressed after a dramatic 7-5 aggregate win on Wednesday night.
Galatasaray arrived with a 5-2 advantage from the first leg but Juventus forced extra time by scoring three unanswered goals to level the tie at 5-5. However, Osimhen restored Galatasaray’s advantage during extra time before Baris Alper Yilmaz added another to settle the contest.
Galatasaray will now face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur when the Champions League draw takes place at 11 am on Friday.
Osimhen had already played a key role earlier in the competition when his first-half penalty secured a 1-0 home victory against Liverpool during the league phase.
Asked about his preferred opponent, the Nigerian striker told CBS Sports:
“I mean to be honest with you, meeting Liverpool now is going to be like some sort of revenge.
“Anyone we meet now… I wouldn’t say much but I would like to escape Liverpool.
“But if they come, yeah, we’re going to dig it out but it’s not going to be easy.
“I mean this is Champions League, no team is easy, we can see how flying Bodo/Glimt are really doing in this tournament.
“If you want to win you also have to play the big dogs and make a statement for yourself.
“We’ve met Liverpool but we haven’t played at Anfield. If we meet them it’s going to be an amazing game. I think we’re up to the task, it’s not going to be easy, of course, but we have fight in us.”
Get Our Sports News First – Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!
Historic Champions League night for Victor Osimhen
Beyond qualification, the night also marked a historic personal achievement for Victor Osimhen. The Super Eagles forward became Galatasaray’s all-time leading foreign goalscorer in the Champions League.
His extra-time strike was his seventh goal of this season’s campaign, scored in just eight appearances. That record moved him past former Brazilian striker Mario Jardel, who previously held the club record with six goals.
Osimhen’s performance earned him the official Player of the Match award, his fourth such honour in this season’s competition.
Elsewhere, several Premier League sides are also waiting to learn their opponents. Arsenal FC could face either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta, while Chelsea may meet Newcastle United or Paris Saint-Germain. Manchester City are set to draw either Bodo/Glimt or Real Madrid.
