Victor Osimhen has admitted he was unhappy with his team’s performance despite Galatasaray SK progressing to the Champions League round of 16 after a dramatic night against Juventus FC in Turin.
Galatasaray were beaten 3-2 in the second leg at the Allianz Stadium but advanced 7-5 on aggregate after extra time. Juventus had scored three unanswered goals to level the tie at 5-5 overall, pushing the contest into extra time and putting the Turkish champions under intense pressure.
Victor Osimhen eventually restored Galatasaray’s aggregate lead in extra time before Baris Alper Yilmaz added another goal to secure qualification for the visitors.
Speaking to CBS Sports after the match, Osimhen did not hide his frustration with the overall display.
When asked by host Kate Scott about the relief of reaching the round of 16, he said, “mean, it gives some kind of sense of relief, but I have to be honest with you, I’m disappointed in the performance of the team, I mean, the whole team. And I have to give kudos to Juventus for the kind of display that they put on. And yeah, we qualified, but I think we have a lot to improve on if we are to go into the next round and play the big dogs. I think, yeah, this performance today was not really good. I think Juventus deserved the win, but I’m happy for my team to qualify for the next round.”
During the post match discussion, Thierry Henry asked Osimhen about his strong mentality and constant desire for more. The Nigerian striker responded by explaining how he tried to prepare and motivate his teammates before the game.
“mean, at first, I was really psyched up. You know, I was trying to prepare my teammates before we step on the pitch. I let them know how difficult it is to come to Turin to try to get a win, because I’ve played here also, and I know how difficult it is. And then I think some of them are kind of like timid, and when I try to motivate them and do the best I can, I cannot do it alone. And I try to motivate them. I’ve seen that some of them, you know, it’s normal. This is football. And I think some of them are kind of like scared with the crowd and, of course, the way Juventus are playing. But I know this team. When you try to lay back and let them play, they’re going to do damage to you. And they even play more better with the red card than when they are 11. So I think for me, we have a lot to improve on. And when I try to speak and some of them tend not to listen, I just keep it going. So I have nothing else to say.”
Galatasaray will now face either Liverpool FC or Tottenham Hotspur FC in the round of 16, with the draw scheduled to take place on Friday morning.
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