Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk has been urged to address Victor Osimhen’s recurring offside problem after the Nigerian striker was caught offside six times in their 4-1 UEFA Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday.
Turkish football commentator Hüseyin Özkök criticised the forward’s positioning, arguing that Buruk must find a solution to maximise the effectiveness of his leading attacker.
Speaking on A Spor, Özkök noted that Osimhen accounted for six of Galatasaray’s eight offside offences during the encounter.
“Out of eight offsides in Galatasaray, six belong to Osimhen. Okan Buruk must definitely solve Osimhen’s offside problem,” he said.
Barcelona’s high defensive line proved effective in frustrating the Super Eagles striker, repeatedly catching him beyond the last defender and limiting his opportunities to threaten their goal.
Osimhen endured a difficult evening, registering just 12 touches, attempting three passes and completing two. He managed one shot off target, won three of nine duels and lost possession six times.
His struggles reflected Barcelona’s defensive organisation, which restricted the space available for him to exploit his pace and physical strength. The repeated offside decisions also disrupted Galatasaray’s attacking rhythm.
Galatasaray initially took the lead through Aleksey Batrakov, but Barcelona fought back through João Cancelo before second-half goals from Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi secured a convincing victory.
The defeat ended Osimhen’s run of direct goal contributions, as he failed to score or provide an assist for the first time this season, according to the report.
Despite the setback, the Nigerian remains central to Galatasaray’s attacking plans. Buruk will now face the challenge of improving the timing of Osimhen’s runs and his coordination with teammates, particularly against opponents who defend with a high line.
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