Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen will come up against former side Lille on Wednesday, with both teams still seeking their first points of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase.
Osimhen struck 18 times in 38 appearances for Lille during the 2019/20 campaign. Galatasaray will be relying on the Nigerian to make an impact after a six-game winless run in the league phase, made up of one draw and five losses. Their current campaign began with a 3-1 defeat away to Sporting CP, followed by a 4-1 home loss to Barcelona on Matchday 2, even though they had gone ahead against the Spanish visitors.
The Turkish title holders have struggled badly on their travels. They have been beaten in each of their past five away games in the Champions League and have managed just one victory in their last 16 European fixtures outside Türkiye: a 3-0 success at Ajax in November 2025. They are also without a win in France across six visits since beating Nantes 1-0 in the 2001/02 season.
Lille head into the contest with comparable concerns. Their 3-0 defeat at Arsenal represented a fourth consecutive loss in Europe, matching the club’s unwanted mark from 2012/13. They have also lost their previous three European home fixtures, including a 3-2 Matchday 1 setback against Real Betis, while they have gone 10 Champions League matches without a clean sheet.
Goals have been plentiful in both sides’ recent Champions League outings. Lille’s latest eight matches in the competition have contained 31 goals, while Galatasaray’s previous six have delivered 26. Lille have opened the scoring in all of their last eight home Champions League games, and every one of Galatasaray’s past eight matches in the tournament has featured a goal before half-time.
The teams have never played one another before. Lille are unbeaten in six encounters with Turkish clubs, recording two victories and four draws, and most recently knocked Fenerbahçe out in the 2024/25 qualifying rounds.
Galatasaray reached the round of 16 last term for the first time since 2013/14, but their broader record against French opponents remains modest, with only two wins from their last 11 such matches.
