By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Ajax head coach John Heitinga has vowed that his side will do everything possible to contain Galatasaray’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Amsterdam, Heitinga highlighted the Nigerian forward’s quality and influence, stressing the importance of neutralising Galatasaray’s attacking threats.
“We’ll do everything we can to keep him quiet,” Heitinga said. “Osimhen is a great striker — clever, strong, and fast. You have to handle him wisely. He’s a complete forward and one of the best at the moment.”
The Dutch manager, himself a former top defender, acknowledged the challenge of facing a Galatasaray side brimming with confidence after a strong European campaign so far.
“There are few players as quick as he is,” Heitinga added. “I hope we’ll be more secure in possession tomorrow and that what I see in training will show in the match.”
Galatasaray will travel to the Johan Cruijff ArenA looking to extend their fine form and strengthen their position in the competition.
With both sides known for their attacking flair and passionate fan bases, the encounter promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the group stage.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
