Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has praised Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen following their 1-1 draw in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Super Eagles striker played the full 90 minutes at RAMS Park after returning from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he missed Nigeria’s third-place match against Egypt due to injury.
While Osimhen did not find the back of the net, the 27-year-old constantly terrorised Atletico’s backline, creating two chances from nothing.
Giuliano Simeone, the coach’s son, broke the deadlock inside four minutes, but an own goal by Marcos Llorente following a Rolland Sallai cut-back levelled the score for Okan Buruk’s men in the 20th minute.
After the game, the two-time La Liga-winning coach was impressed with Osimhen’s strength and aerial ability.
“Osimhen is very strong; he has always been like that in the air physically. He is very fast and very important for his team, so he is a very good footballer,” the Argentine told Esto Es Atleti.
Osimhen, who has been linked with Atletico Madrid in the past, revealed his admiration for Simeone after the game.
“I love Diego Simeone, I’ve always been a fan of him. I’ve had the opportunity to meet him a few times. They play aggressively and have a clear identity,” the former Lille striker said.
“Since the coach has been there for many years, the players are completely accustomed to the kind of game he wants. That’s why I’m putting so much emphasis on the performance we put out. Because Atletico Madrid is one of the best teams in the world, and even getting a draw against them shows that you’re on the right track.”
Galatasaray will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side will qualify for the play-offs regardless of the result, but a win could help secure automatic qualification to the Champions League round of 16.
The draw leaves Galatasaray 17th in the league phase with 10 points, needing a positive result in their final fixture to remain in the competition.
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