Victor Osimhen faces Lille return as Galatasaray seek first Champions League points

Victor Osimhen returns to Lille on Wednesday hoping to score his first Champions League goal of the season, while Galatasaray attempt to get off the mark in the competition against the club that helped launch his European career.

The Nigeria striker spent one season with Lille before moving to Napoli, where he won Serie A. He has yet to score or provide an assist in this season’s Champions League.

Osimhen missed Galatasaray’s opening match, a 3-1 defeat by Sporting CP, because of injury. The Turkish champions then suffered a 4-1 home loss to Barcelona, leaving both clubs without a point after two league-phase matches.

The game will be played at Decathlon Arena, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, with kick-off at 17:45 WAT on Wednesday 21 October 2026. It is the first competitive meeting between the sides.

Lille and Galatasaray both searching for a breakthrough

Lille began their league-phase campaign with a 3-2 defeat by Real Betis before losing 3-0 away to Arsenal. They drew 1-1 with Brest in their most recent Ligue 1 match and have lost their past three home Champions League fixtures.

Galatasaray have also endured a difficult European start, losing to Sporting CP and Barcelona. Their domestic form has been stronger, with a 1-0 victory at Genclerbirligi keeping them top of the Super Lig.

There is no previous head-to-head record between the clubs. Lille have won two and drawn four of their six matches against Turkish opposition, while Galatasaray have won only one of their past 11 away games against French clubs.

Lille head coach Davide Ancelotti has described stopping Osimhen as a responsibility for the whole team. In comments translated by Soccernet, and reported from Le Petit Lillois, Ancelotti highlighted the striker’s impact at Napoli by saying he “almost single-handedly won the Scudetto”.

That warning underlines the central challenge for Lille: containing a forward who knows the club and the city well. Osimhen joined Galatasaray permanently after a loan spell from Napoli that helped the club win the Super Lig.

The striker said: “Right now, all my concentration is on Galatasaray.”

Osimhen is the only Nigerian included in the predicted line-ups. Nigeria’s former players and supporters will also be watching closely, after a Nigeria legend backed the Galatasaray forward ahead of his European appearance.

Team news and predicted line-ups

Lille will be without Tiago Santos, who has a serious knee injury, while Ethan Mbappe is suspended. Ayase Ueda and goalkeeper Berke Ozer are doubts, potentially giving Orlando Gill his European debut.

Galatasaray are expected to be missing Rafael Leao because of a groin problem. Wilfried Singo is also doubtful with a thigh injury.

Lille: Gill; Goffi, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Perraud; Andre, Bentaleb; Bakwa, Mukau, Haraldsson; Giroud.

Galatasaray: Cakır; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakcı, Elmalı; Torreira, Lemina; Akgun, Batrakov, Yılmaz; Osimhen.

Lille’s poor home Champions League record contrasts with Galatasaray’s limited success away to French clubs. With both teams on zero points, Galatasaray’s hopes of moving up the table may depend on Osimhen ending his European drought against his former club.