Galatasaray’s Champions League adventure has been mapped out with heavyweight opponents lined up, and for Victor Osimhen it means Liverpool, Manchester City and Atlético Madrid are all on the horizon before a ball is even kicked, Footynaija.com reports.
The draw, held in Monaco, continues the new-look league phase format with every team facing eight different opponents, home and away against one from each seeding pot.
For Istanbul’s champions, the announcement brought a mixture of glamour and difficulty, a schedule that will stretch their squad and test their star striker.
Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen, begins his first permanent campaign back at Rams Park after completing a record €75 million move from Napoli in July, the most expensive transfer in Turkish football history.
His goals last season drove Galatasaray to a domestic double and convinced the club to break new ground financially to keep him.
As revealed by UEFA’s release, Galatasaray will welcome Liverpool, Atlético Madrid, Bodø Glimt and Union Saint-Gilloise in Istanbul, while their away assignments take them to Manchester City, Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax and Monaco.
That mix gives them marquee clashes at home and daunting away trips across Europe’s strongest leagues.
UEFA also confirmed that the league phase will run from mid-September through late January, with the top eight sides qualifying directly for the round of 16 and places nine to 24 entering play-offs.
Exact dates and times will follow, but the rhythm of the season is already set. For Osimhen, who struck 37 goals in all competitions during last year’s campaign, this draw places him back on the grandest stage where his performances will be judged against European champions and domestic powerhouses.
From Liverpool’s return to Istanbul, to the tactical battles that Atlético will bring, to the prospect of facing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad, the fixtures promise to be as demanding as they are memorable.
Smaller names like Bodø Glimt and Union SG will also be dangerous, as recent history proves how sharp they can be against established clubs.