Galatasaray’s quest for UEFA Europa League glory faces a significant hurdle as star striker Victor Osimhen is set to miss the crucial Round of 16 playoff first-leg clash against AZ Alkmaar due to suspension.
The Nigerian international, who has been in scintillating form since joining the Turkish giants on loan from Napoli, picked up his third yellow card of the season in their 2-1 loss to Ajax, where he scored a late goal, ruling him out of the crucial encounter at the AFAS Stadion.
Osimhen’s absence is a significant blow to Galatasaray, who have relied heavily on his goal-scoring form this season.
The forward has been instrumental to Galatasaray’s campaign this season with 17 goals and six assists in 23 appearances across all competitions.
Manager Okan Buruk faces a selection dilemma, compounded by the unavailability of several key players.
Mauro Icardi, Yunus Akgun, and Ismail Jakobs are sidelined due to injuries, while Davinson Sanchez and Lucas Torreira join Victor Osimhen on the suspension list.
In a bid to bolster the squad, Galatasaray has registered new signings Alvaro Morata and Carlos Cuesta for the Europa League, making them available for selection.
However, Ahmed Kutucu, Mario Lemina, and Przemyslaw Frankowski were omitted from the squad registration.
The winners of this two-legged tie will face either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16 next month, adding further stakes to an already high-pressure encounter.
