Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen and his teammates stand to receive a €5m reward if the Turkish club succeeds in eliminating Liverpool FC from the UEFA Champions League.
Reports from Turkey indicate that Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek made the promise after the team secured a 1–0 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their round-of-16 encounter.
According to Le Marca Sports, Osimhen played a role in negotiating the bonus arrangement for the squad.
“Victor Osimhen said, ‘If we eliminate Liverpool, let the bonus be €5m,’ and President Dursun Özbek accepted this,” Turkish journalist Ali Naci Küçük was quoted as saying.
Apart from the incentive promised by the club president, Galatasaray are also set to earn substantial prize money from UEFA if they progress to the quarter-finals. The yellow-red side would receive a €12m bonus from the European football governing body.
Osimhen was instrumental in the first-leg win, providing the assist that led to Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina’s decisive goal as the Turkish champions edged Liverpool 1–0 at RAMS Park on Tuesday.
The home side came under early pressure but broke the deadlock after seven minutes. Osimhen rose highest to head a corner back into the danger area, allowing Lemina to nod the ball beyond goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The result gives Galatasaray a narrow advantage ahead of the second leg scheduled for March 18 at Anfield, where Osimhen will aim to help his side secure qualification for the next round.
The match was also an emotional moment for the striker, who was seen in tears before kick-off after Galatasaray supporters honoured his late mother with a special tifo display inside RAMS Park.
The tribute banner was raised as the Champions League anthem played across the stadium. Although the 27-year-old struggled to hold back his emotions, he remained focused and delivered a strong performance that contributed to the team’s first-leg success.
Looking ahead to the return fixture in England, Osimhen praised his teammates for their effort against the Premier League side and expressed confidence in their chances of producing another solid display away from home.
“Every time we play here it’s so emotional for us. Aside from that, the victory is important,” he said.
“We know next week is going to be really hard, but I believe in this team and the kind of performance we put in against a very good side like Liverpool. I’m optimistic that we can do some damage there at Anfield.”
The Nigerian striker has remained a key figure for Galatasaray since completing a permanent move to the club last summer.
He has played a major role in their Champions League campaign, scoring seven goals and registering three assists in nine appearances. In the Turkish Süper Lig, he has also contributed 11 goals and four assists, bringing his total tally across all competitions this season to 18 goals and seven assists.
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