Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk faces calls to improve Victor Osimhen’s positioning after the Nigerian striker was caught offside six times during the Turkish club’s 4-1 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
The repeated offside decisions limited Osimhen’s influence in the encounter, as Barcelona’s disciplined defensive line frustrated Galatasaray’s attempts to create clear goalscoring opportunities.
Turkish football commentator Hüseyin Özkök criticised the striker’s performance, insisting that Buruk must address the problem to help Galatasaray get the best out of their leading forward.
Speaking on Turkish television channel A Spor, Özkök pointed to the number of times Osimhen was caught offside, arguing that the situation required the coach’s attention.
“Out of eight offsides in Galatasaray, six belong to Osimhen. Okan Buruk must definitely solve Osimhen’s offside problem,” Özkök said.
The criticism followed a difficult night for the Super Eagles forward, who struggled to establish himself against Barcelona’s defensive organisation. The Spanish side repeatedly caught him beyond the last defender, preventing him from exploiting the space behind their back line.
Osimhen’s attacking strength has traditionally been built around his pace, physical presence and ability to make dangerous runs into the penalty area. However, these qualities can become less effective when the timing of his movement does not match the delivery of the ball.
Barcelona demonstrated how a well-organised defence can neutralise an opponent’s attacking threat without necessarily allowing the striker to get into dangerous positions. By maintaining their defensive shape and coordinating their movements, the visitors repeatedly disrupted Galatasaray’s forward play.
The Nigerian international also struggled to make a significant impact in possession. He recorded 12 touches, attempted three passes and completed two, while winning three of nine duels and losing possession six times. He managed one shot off target as Barcelona restricted his opportunities in front of goal.
The statistics reflected the difficulties Osimhen encountered throughout the match, although his limited involvement was also influenced by Barcelona’s effective defensive approach.
Galatasaray initially took the lead through Aleksey Batrakov, giving the home side hope of securing a positive result against the Spanish giants. However, Barcelona responded through João Cancelo before second-half goals from Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi completed the comeback.
The defeat highlighted the difference between Galatasaray’s promising start and Barcelona’s ability to take control of the contest. While the Turkish side found opportunities to threaten early in the match, they struggled to maintain their attacking effectiveness as the visitors tightened their grip on proceedings.
Osimhen’s offside problems became a major talking point because his movement is central to Galatasaray’s attacking strategy. His ability to stretch defensive lines and run into open spaces can create opportunities for himself and his teammates, but repeated offside decisions can interrupt attacks before they develop.
Buruk will therefore need to assess how Galatasaray can improve the coordination between Osimhen and the players responsible for supplying him with the ball.
Better timing, improved communication and greater variation in the team’s attacking approach could help the striker make more effective use of his movement. Rather than abandoning his instinct to attack spaces, Osimhen may need to adjust when he makes his runs, particularly against opponents who defend with a high line.
The challenge also extends to Galatasaray’s midfielders, who must recognise the right moments to release passes and avoid allowing opposing defenders to anticipate their intentions.
For Osimhen, the performance represents a frustrating setback rather than a reason to question his overall ability. His pace, strength and goalscoring instincts remain valuable assets, but the encounter demonstrated how quickly a well-organised defence can limit those strengths when his positioning is predictable.
The defeat also ended his run of scoring or providing an assist in every match he had played that season, according to reports on the encounter.
Despite the disappointing result, Galatasaray will need their Nigerian forward to remain confident as they prepare for future domestic and European fixtures. His ability to recover from difficult performances and improve his understanding with teammates could prove important to the club’s ambitions.
Buruk, meanwhile, faces the task of ensuring that Galatasaray’s attacking system makes the most of Osimhen’s qualities while reducing unnecessary interruptions caused by offside decisions.
The criticism from Özkök has placed the issue firmly in the spotlight. Whether the coach and striker can make the necessary adjustments will be closely watched as Galatasaray seek to improve their performances against Europe’s strongest teams.
