A Spor commentator  Reha Kapsal has heaped praise on Victor Osimhen, crediting the Nigeria forward as the key figure behind Galatasaray's Champions League ambitions this season.

Heading into the final day of the league phase of the Champions League, The  Lion are seventeenth in the standings with ten points from seven games.

A victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, January 28 would secure a playoff place, while even a draw or a defeat could still prove sufficient, depending on the outcome of other matches.

Though Osimhen has failed to score in his last two Champions League matches, he was at one point the competition's leading scorer, netting six goals in his first three appearances, including a hat-trick against Ajax Amsterdam. 

In the Turkish Super Lig, the former African Footballer of the Year has also played a pivotal role, scoring seven goals in 13 appearances for the table-toppers. 

Kapsal believes Galatasaray's progress in the Champions League and their strong Super Lig form can be attributed largely to the influence of Osimhen.

"Osimhen has officially become the 'palace' of Galatasaray; he's the one who brought Galatasaray to this point. I haven't seen another player recently who single-handedly changed a team's environment so much," Kapsal was quoted as saying by habersarikirmizi.com.

"Osimhen is the player who primarily enabled Galatasaray to become the leader and continue its journey in the Champions League."

Osimhen found the net in Galatasaray’s most recent outing, rounding off the scoring in a 3-1 victory over Fatih Karagümrük.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel