Turkish football analyst Sinan Engin believes Galatasaray could have secured a different result against Sporting CP if Victor Osimhen had been available for their Champions League clash in Lisbon.
Galatasaray suffered a 3-1 defeat to Sporting on Wednesday, with Osimhen missing the encounter after sustaining a groin injury during the club’s 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir.
The Turkish champions had spells of possession but struggled to turn their control of the ball into enough attacking opportunities. Engin argued that Osimhen’s absence played a significant role in Galatasaray’s inability to cause Sporting serious problems.
Speaking on the Asist Analiz YouTube channel, Engin questioned Sporting’s overall performance and suggested Galatasaray could have produced a stronger display with Osimhen leading the attack.
“Galatasaray had possession percentage but no results. Perhaps they are one of the weakest teams they could play against in the Champions League. I don’t accept that Sporting is a flying, amazing team. If Galatasaray had been a little better, and Osimhen had been there, this match would have been very different.”
Osimhen’s absence left Galatasaray without one of their most influential attacking options, particularly his pace, physical strength and ability to stretch defensive lines.
The defeat also added to Galatasaray’s poor Champions League record when the Nigerian forward has been unavailable. The club have now gone six consecutive Champions League matches without a victory in games Osimhen did not play, recording four defeats and two draws.
Those defeats came against Sporting CP, AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Saint-Gilloise, while Galatasaray drew against Malmö and Rigas Skola.
Since joining Galatasaray, Osimhen has established himself as a major attacking outlet for the Turkish side, making his fitness an important factor in the club’s domestic and European ambitions.
The 25-year-old will now concentrate on recovering from his groin injury, with Galatasaray hoping for his return as they attempt to get their Champions League campaign back on track.
For Engin, Wednesday’s result provided another indication of the attacking problems Galatasaray can face without their Nigerian striker, although whether Osimhen’s presence would have changed the outcome remains a matter of opinion.