Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been shortlisted for the UEFA Champions League player of the week after his stunning hat-trick against Ajax on Wednesday, Bold Sports reports.
Osimhen’s hat-trick came in the space of 19 minutes, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory for Galatasaray and condemning Ajax to their fourth successive defeat in the tournament.
The feat made the Nigerian striker the second Galatasaray player ever to score a Champions League hat-trick after Burak Yilmaz in 2012. He is also now the top scorer of the tournament this season with six goals, leading Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane who have all scored five.
Speaking after the game, Osimhen credited his teammates for the victory: “Overall, I think we deserved it. We knew what the opponent would do. We were well-prepared mentally and psychologically. I’m very happy with the goals, of course, but I want to thank all of my teammates once again. We’ll continue to build on this momentum. I believe we’ll be very happy at the end of the Champions League campaign, and we’ll continue to work on that.”
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The 26-year-old also confidently stated that he believes he can fight for the tournament‘s golden boot: “Of course, I think I have the quality to do so, but I do it with the support of my teammates.”
They love giving me the ball, just like they did today. It’s a team effort, and I believe that with my teammates and their support, such a possibility is definitely possible. I will fight for it.”
Osimhen is nominated for the player of the week alongside Club Brugge’s Carlos Forbs, Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, and Manchester City’s Phil Foden. Fans can vote for their preferred winner on the official Champions League website.
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