…Osimhen and Icardi an ‘encyclopedia of the No.9’, says Spalletti
Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti has warned his side to be prepared for a major attacking threat if Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk opts to start both Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi when the teams meet in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoff on Tuesday.
Both clubs missed out on automatic qualification for the last 16 after failing to finish in the top eight of the competition’s new group phase format. Juventus and Galatasaray were subsequently paired in the playoffs, and although the Italian giants are considered favourites to progress, they remain cautious of the Turkish side’s attacking firepower.
Spalletti is well aware of Osimhen’s qualities, having coached the Nigerian striker for two seasons at Napoli, where the Super Eagles star scored 26 goals en route to ending the club’s 33-year wait for the Scudetto under his guidance.
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has hinted at the possibility of deploying both Osimhen and Icardi together after their impressive partnership in the 5-1 win over Eyupspor at the weekend, where Icardi netted a hat-trick and Osimhen provided two assists.
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“When we transferred Victor Osimhen, I decided to play with two forwards, but then Mauro Icardi got injured. Now both are at the peak of their form and can play together,” Buruk said during his pre-match press conference.
Reacting to the prospect of facing the duo, Spalletti stressed that the final decision rests with Buruk, while noting that the strikers’ contrasting styles could make them even more dangerous as a pair.
“Okan Buruk is the one who will decide whether Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi play together. Both are extremely strong players,” Spalletti said.
“Their characteristics are different from each other. They know very well how to behave in the penalty area as goalscorers. One creates chaos, the other knows very well how to take advantage of that chaos. We will try to keep them away from the ball altogether.
“We will be playing against two important attacking players. Both of them have very high quality. On the pitch, they are practically an ‘encyclopedia of the number 9′,” Spalletti added.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray are set to welcome Leroy Sané back into the squad after a lengthy injury layoff, while Mario Lemina will miss the first leg due to suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards.
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