Galatasaray qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 for the first time in 12 years after a dramatic UEFA Champions League night against Juventus in Turin.
The Turkish giants survived a major scare as Juventus overturned a 5-2 first leg deficit to level the tie at 5-5 on aggregate.
Juventus produced a stunning response in the second leg, winning 3-0 in normal time despite being reduced to 10 men, forcing the contest into extra time.
Galatasaray eventually regained control when Victor Osimhen scored in the 105th minute to restore his side’s aggregate lead at 6-5.
Baris Yilmaz sealed the qualification in the 119th minute, making it 7-5 on aggregate and 3-2 on the night, sending the visitors through after an intense battle.
Despite the qualification, Osimhen was openly critical of his team’s performance in his post match comments to CBS Golazo.
“If I have to be honest with you, I am disappointed with the performance of the team,” he said. “Kudos to Juventus for the kind of display they put up. We qualified, but we have a lot to improve on if we go into the next round to play the big dogs.
“This performance was not really good. Juventus deserved the win, but I’m happy for my team to qualify for the next round.”
Also read: Diego Simeone Reveals Worrying Concern about Ademola Lookman
The Nigerian forward also expressed concern about his teammates’ mentality during the high pressure encounter.
“Some of my teammates were timid. I tried to motivate them. I cannot do it alone. They were scared by the crowd and the way Juventus were playing,” Osimhen added.
“But I know this team. When you sit back and let them play, they will even do more damage. They even played better with the red card than when they were 11 players.”
Galatasaray will now face either Tottenham or Liverpool in the round of 16.
