Deeney: Osimhen absence cripples Galatasaray as Union SG claim Champions League win

By Dayo Awoniyi

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has said Galatasaray were severely weakened by the absence of Victor Osimhen in their 1–0 home loss to Union Saint-Gilloise in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League clash at Rams Park.

Belgian champions Union SG secured all three points thanks to a second-half strike from Promise David, following a tight and tactical first 45 minutes that ended goalless.

Osimhen, sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo in Morocco, has now missed back-to-back games for Galatasaray against Gençlerbirliği and Union SG.

Speaking on CBS Sports, Deeney stressed the impact of the Nigerian striker’s absence.

“You can’t underplay just how important Osimhen is to this team,” he said. “Yes, you’ve got Lemina and others who bring qualities, but we’re talking about one of the top five strikers in world football right now.”

Deeney added that Galatasaray currently have no like-for-like replacement when Osimhen is unavailable.

“You lose a player like that and there’s no one you can pull from the bench or youth team to replicate what he gives. With Osimhen out, they lose a massive piece of their identity. They need him back as quickly as possible to regain momentum,” he said.

Osimhen has been in sensational form in the Champions League this season, scoring six goals in just three matches to lead the competition’s scoring chart.

His contributions have powered Galatasaray to victories over Liverpool, Bodo/Glimt, and Ajax, while both of their defeats—against Eintracht Frankfurt and Union SG—have occurred in his absence.

Manager Okan Buruk will be hoping his star striker recovers in time for the high-stakes derby against Fenerbahçe, as Galatasaray look to rediscover their attacking spark.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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