By Daily Sports Nigeria on March 14, 2026

Former England striker Gary Lineker has slammed the VAR decision that ruled out what would have been Victor Osimhen’s goal in Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Liverpool, as Real Madrid are also said to be monitoring the Nigerian striker ahead of a potential €110m summer swoop.

Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0 at RAMS Park in Istanbul, with Mario Lemina scoring the only goal in the seventh minute from an Osimhen assist. However, the match was dominated by controversy when Osimhen’s second-half effort was disallowed following a VAR review.

Officials ruled that winger Barış Alper Yılmaz was offside during the build-up, determining he had interfered with Liverpool defender Andy Robertson despite not touching the ball.

Lineker, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, was scathing in his assessment.

“I have watched it 50 times, and it is absurd. There is no impact from Yilmaz. It is just a terrible, terrible decision, and VAR just waved it on,” he said.

“There was no interference whatsoever. It was the wrong player as well. They got it completely wrong. I have double-checked it a thousand times. There was no contact, and also it was not that player who went through. He had no impact on the game whatsoever.”

The disallowed goal denied Osimhen a notable personal milestone as he would have equalled former Galatasaray forward Burak Yılmaz’s record for the most goals scored by a club player in a single Champions League season.

Despite the defeat, Arne Slot’s side created several chances, and the tie remains open ahead of the return leg at Anfield on Wednesday, March 18, where Liverpool must win by at least two goals to advance directly to the quarter-finals. Galatasaray need only a draw to go through.

On the transfer front, Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on Osimhen as they search for a striker to lead their attack in the coming years, according to Afrik-Foot. Reports by Fichajes indicate a deal for the 27-year-old could cost anywhere between €80m and €110m, reflecting both his ability and his standing in the market.

Osimhen has been in electric form for Galatasaray this season, recording 18 goals and five assists in 27 appearances across all competitions. His pace, physical strength and finishing ability have attracted attention from across Europe, with Real Madrid believed to see him as a long-term reference point for their forward line.

Lemina, who scored the winner against Liverpool, added his voice to the growing chorus of praise for the striker after the game.

“I have played with forwards like (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang, (Gonzalo) Higuain, (André-Pierre) Gignac and (Radamel) Falcao, but there is no one like Victor Osimhen. He is one of a kind. Even if he does not score, he is constantly contributing, constantly a threat — always pressing. He defends with us. On top of that, he is a complete finisher,” Lemina said.

The Gabonese midfielder also spoke about Osimhen’s mentality.

“I have never seen such a hungry forward. He hates losing, and when we lose, he will not talk to you. The next day, he puts on his headphones and does not talk to anyone. But these are good habits. It is a fantastic thing,” he said.

Source Punch Ng

Posted March 14, 2026

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