Buruk hints at Osimhen-Icardi partnership ahead of Juventus clash

Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has indicated he may start both Mauro Icardi and Victor Osimhen in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoff first leg against Juventus.

The suggestion follows Galatasaray’s 5-1 league victory over Eyupspor, where Icardi scored a hat-trick and Osimhen provided two assists, including one for the Argentine forward.

Two-striker system revisited

There has been debate in Turkey over whether Icardi and Osimhen can operate effectively together in the same starting XI.

However, Buruk has previously deployed the pair as a front two, including in a recent match against Kocaelispor.

Reflecting on Friday’s performance, Buruk expressed satisfaction with the partnership.

“Icardi’s three goals, Osimhen’s two assists… there are many positive things. We played with two strikers,” Buruk said.

“We used it in the Kocaelispor match, and people thought Osimhen and Icardi couldn’t play together. We tried it and got positive results,” he added.

The comments suggest the two forwards could again feature together as Galatasaray seek an advantage in the first leg.

Focus turns to Juventus

Buruk acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting his side in Europe.

“We will prepare for Juventus. A very different match and a very strong opponent awaits us. We will recover mentally immediately and get ready,” he said.

Galatasaray have relied heavily on their attacking output this season, and the potential pairing of Icardi and Osimhen would represent an attacking statement against the Italian side.