Liverpool FC head coach Arne Slot has admitted that the injury to Victor Osimhen played a significant role in his side’s dominant victory over Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
The Reds delivered a commanding performance at Anfield on Wednesday night, thrashing the Turkish champions 4-0 in the second leg to seal a 4-1 aggregate victory and book their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
However, the tie took a decisive turn when Osimhen—who now plays for Galatasaray—was forced off at half-time after sustaining an injury.
The Nigerian striker had started brightly and looked dangerous in the opening exchanges, causing early concerns for Liverpool’s defence.
Speaking after the match, Slot acknowledged the impact of Osimhen’s absence, describing the forward as a key figure in Galatasaray’s attacking setup.
“Osimhen is an incredible player for them. Yeah, [the injury] worked for us, but when you look at the first 10 minutes and how the team played with him, I thought he would play the full 90 because the rest of the team plays so well off him,” Slot said.
“He’s shown many times in his career that he can score a goal all of a sudden.
“It’s not nice to see any player get injured, but he’s been very influential on Galatasaray’s performance.”
Slot further reflected on the challenges his team faced in the first leg in Istanbul, where Galatasaray’s intense home support made life difficult for the Premier League side.
“It was a difficult task for us when we played them in their stadium, largely because of their fans.
” It is a huge advantage for us to get ahead without conceding when facing that kind of pressure,” he added.
Osimhen’s withdrawal appeared to blunt Galatasaray’s attacking threat, allowing Liverpool to take full control of the game in the second half.
The Reds capitalized ruthlessly, scoring four unanswered goals to emphatically end the contest.
The result marks another statement performance from Liverpool as they continue their pursuit of European glory, while Galatasaray will now await further medical assessment to determine the extent of Osimhen’s injury and whether it could require surgical intervention.
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