By Achile Danjuma
Victor Osimhen is set to lead the line for Galatasaray in Tuesday’s blockbuster UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Liverpool, but the Nigerian superstar is walking a disciplinary tightrope that could see him sidelined for the return fixture at Anfield.
The 27-year-old is one of seven Galatasaray players currently carrying two yellow cards in this season’s competition. Under UEFA regulations, any player who receives a third yellow card—or any subsequent odd-numbered booking—from the league phase onward is handed an automatic one-match suspension.
This means that if Osimhen is cautioned by the referee during the high-stakes clash at RAMS Park, he will be forced to watch from the stands when the Turkish champions travel to Merseyside for the second leg on March 18.
Osimhen’s current disciplinary record stems from bookings picked up in two crucial fixtures: the league phase encounter with Atlético Madrid and the recent playoff second leg against Juventus.
He is not alone in this predicament. Fellow Galatasaray players at risk include goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, defenders İsmail Jakobs, Davinson Sánchez, and Abdülkerim Bardakcı, as well as forwards Roland Sallai and the in-form Noa Lang, who accumulated his two yellows during his time with Napoli earlier in the tournament.
The potential absence of Osimhen would be a massive blow to manager Okan Buruk’s plans. The Nigeria international has been in scintillating form in Europe this season, finding the back of the net seven times in just eight Champions League appearances.
According to statistics from Goal.com, he has achieved this tally in only 496 minutes of play, averaging a remarkable 0.86 goals per game. His seven goals place him just one shy of Burak Yılmaz’s club record for most strikes in a single European campaign.
Galatasaray will be desperate to avoid a suspension for their star marksman, but they also head into the tie with confidence. They boast a near fully-fit squad and recently secured a vital 1-0 derby victory over Beşiktaş, with Osimhen scoring the decisive goal.
Furthermore, they will draw belief from their league-phase encounter with Liverpool earlier this season, where they secured a narrow 1-0 home win thanks to an early Osimhen penalty.
Liverpool, managed by Arne Slot, also have their own suspension concerns. Midfielder Curtis Jones is one booking away from missing the second leg at Anfield.
However, they will be keenly aware that goading Osimhen into a reckless challenge—or applying pressure that forces him into a bookable offence—could be a strategic way to neutralize Galatasaray’s biggest threat for the decisive second leg.