Galatasaray have left out Victor Osimhen from their Turkish Cup tie against Alanyaspor on Tuesday (today).
Already qualified, Galatasaray will look to conclude their Group A campaign in the Ziraat Turkish Cup with a flawless four-game run, having won their three previous group-stage matches.
The Istanbul giants are balancing a fierce Süper Lig title race with the demands of the UEFA Champions League knockout stage. They last won the Turkish Cup in 2019.
However, the club has rested Osimhen and other key players to allow them “active rest,” according to an official statement by the Turkish champions.
Incidentally, Osimhen scored a goal and provided an assist in Galatasaray’s 3-1 win over Alanyaspor in a Süper Lig match at the weekend.
Galatasaray face a congested schedule, with six matches in 19 days, including a two-legged UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against Liverpool.
In the Süper Lig, Galatasaray are chasing a fourth consecutive league title and recently progressed to the Champions League round of 16 after a dramatic tie against Juventus.
Following their win on Saturday, Osimhen urged his teammates to remain focused as they approach a decisive phase of the season in both domestic and European competitions.
Despite the growing excitement, the Nigerian international cautioned that the upcoming run of matches will shape their campaign.
Their cup tie will be followed by a crucial away derby against fierce rivals Beşiktaş—a fixture that could have major implications for the title race, especially with challengers Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor waiting to capitalise on any slip.
After these domestic tests, Galatasaray will host Liverpool in a high-stakes Champions League encounter before travelling to Anfield for the return leg.
“The Beşiktaş match is a critical one,” Osimhen told the club’s official website.
“We’re taking it one match at a time. Of course, it will be a big match. A very high-quality team awaits us, but we also have a very high-quality team. We’ll go there for three points. It won’t be easy. First the Beşiktaş match, then Liverpool—but let’s not forget we also have a cup match against the team we just played. There are many more matches ahead of us until the end of the season.”
