Tottenham Hotspur will be bidding to maintain their perfect start in the Europa League this season when they head to the cauldron of Istanbul on Thursday to face a Galatasaray side spearheaded by loan star Victor Osimhen.The Nigerian moved to the Turkish giants on loan in early September after being frozen out at Napoli, where former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte became coach after the Italian side put up a poor defence of their Serie A title.Osimhen was the star of Napoli’s run to the Scudetto in 2023 and was expected to be sold in the last close season, but there were no takers for a player with a 130 million-euro ($142m) release clause.Instead he agreed a move to Galatasaray on a season-long loan, at the end of which the Turkish champions do not have an option to sign him permanently.While waiting to see where Osimhen’s future lies next year, for now the 25-year-old can only attempt to enjoy a successful season in Turkey, away from the limelight of Europe’s biggest leagues.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Galatasaray failed to qualify for the Champions League proper after losing over two legs to Young Boys in August, leaving them instead in the Europa League.Osimhen has started in home wins against PAOK of Greece and Elfsborg of Sweden, while missing an away draw with RFS of Latvia due to injury.He has not scored in European action, and Galatasaray’s leading marksman this season is Mauro Icardi, the former Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker who has netted six times so far.Next come Turkish international duo Yunus Akgun and Baris Yilmaz, who both have five goals for Okan Buruk’s side.Osimhen has four goals, all of which have come in his last three domestic league appearances, including what proved to be the winner in a home derby against Besiktas on October 28.The manner in which he celebrated that header, tearing off his trademark protective face mask and running towards the corner flag before punching the air in delight, suggested he is already fully invested in the Galatasaray cause.#BugünGünlerdenGALATASARAY 💪🏆 @EuropaLeague🗓️ Lig Aşaması 4. Maç⚽ Tottenham📆 07.11.2024⏰ 20.45🏟️ Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi📲 #GSvTOT pic.twitter.com/AosMh4Y7A6— Galatasaray SK (@GalatasaraySK) November 6, 2024 On this day in history, #Galatasaray beat @Arsenal on penalties to win UEFA Cup Final, which still stands as the biggest ever accomplishment made by a Turkish club in European football history. pic.twitter.com/ahgLGBa3kS— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) May 17, 2018 Osimhen has also already played in an even bigger fixture, the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce, who are now coached by Jose Mourinho.The latter is the other big recent arrival in Turkish football, as well as another former Tottenham coach, like Conte.Mourinho, who came up against Osimhen in Italy when he was in charge at Roma, tried to wind up the Nigerian ahead of their meeting on September 21 by accusing him of diving.”We have a very good relationship but every time I play against him I speak with him because I don’t like the way he behaves. He dives too much,” Mourinho reportedly told Turkish media in a television interview.Osimhen has partnered Icardi in attack, but against Fenerbahce he started up front on his own as Galatasaray won 3-1 away to their great rivals on the Asian side of the Bosphorus.Tottenham is the next big test for Osimhen and his team, who can move above Spurs in the Europa League standings with a victory.Would Tottenham fans rather win the Europa League, win a domestic cup or finish in the top four?👀 pic.twitter.com/wIUzAjURZ1— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 4, 2024 Galatasaray’s squad also features Dries Mertens, Michy Batshuayi and ex-Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez, and the game should be comfortably the biggest test yet for Ange Postecoglou’s side in this season’s competition.Meanwhile, Postecoglou insists Tottenham can cope with the intimidating atmosphere in store for them in Thursday’s Europa League clash at Galatasaray.Postecoglou’s side will be without a host of key players in Turkey including injured forwards Timo Werner, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore.Centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are also sidelined, leaving Postecoglou to field a makeshift team in one of Europe’s most daunting arenas.Galatasaray’s ferocious support, who memorably welcomed Manchester United in 1993 with a ‘Welcome to Hell’ sign, will pounce on any signs of Tottenham weakness.TARİHTE BUGÜN 3 Kasım 1993 Manchester’ı eleyen Galatasaray, Şampiyonlar Ligi’ne katılan tarihteki ilk Türk takımı oldu. “Welcome to hell” pic.twitter.com/uqXLChAwH2— Emre Özen (@EmreeOzen1905) November 3, 2017 UZI❗❗(WELCOME TO HELL)ALEX FERGUSON HATASAHAU ULE USIKU PALE ALI SAMI YEN STADIUMDHIDI YA GALATASARAY 1993. pic.twitter.com/CNsaeRqIZb— Denzo (@DenzoMaesTro) February 17, 2023 Manchester United arriving at Galatasaray in 1993. pic.twitter.com/WqRxkPdL0t— 90s Football (@90sfootball) September 20, 2022 But Postecoglou expects his players to handle the occasion.”I’m sure that they’re all looking forward to it. That’s why you play football,” the Australian told reporters on Wednesday.”Especially with this generation, a lot of them have experienced what football is like without supporters. You certainly don’t like that when we went through Covid.”We’re looking forward to it. It’s a fantastic stadium, the supporters create an unbelievable atmosphere here, they love the big European nights.”They’re a very, very good team. It’s exactly the kind of game you want to be involved in, whether you’re young, you’re old, irrespective of the role you have, you look forward to it.”Galatasaray at their home stadium, with the fans behind them, there is a great energy in all their games so it’s a great test for us and one we’re looking forward to.”Tottenham have won nine of their last 11 matches in all competitions, which includes three victories in the Europa League.⏰20.45🏆Galatasaray, UEFA Avrupa Ligi’nin 4. haftasında İngiltere temsilcisi Tottenham’ı konuk edecek.MUHTEMEL 11’LER👇 pic.twitter.com/SbirT2Z22U— Sporx (@sporx) November 7, 2024 Postecoglou has shuffled his pack for each group fixture and plans to do the same again in Istanbul.”Through the Europa league we’ve rotated the team,” Postecoglou said.”We are playing three games a week at the moment, have been since the start of the year and we’ve used pretty much all our squad, but that’s worked well because players have come in and been fit.”We’ll make changes tomorrow night but again it’s about making sure we have a team out there we believe can match the opposition and get a result for us.”UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND 4WednesdayBesiktas – Malmo 2-1 (0-0)/Muci 76, Kilicsoy 85 – Rieks 90+3/Thursday20:45: (1.58) Bodo (4.30) Qarabag (5.40)20:45: (1.82) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.60) Slavia Praha (4.40)20:45: (3.50) Elfsborg (3.45) Braga (2.10)20:45: (2.50) Galatasaray (3.85) Tottenham (2.70)20:45: (3.90) Ludogorets (3.60) Ath.Bilbao (1.93)20:45: (2.05) Nice (3.40) Twente (3.70)20:45: (1.95) Olympiakos (3.75) Rangers (4.00)20:45: (2.85) St.Gilloise (3.20) Roma (2.55)23:00: (2.85) AZ Alkmaar (3.35) Fenerbahce (2.50)23:00: (1.38) Ajax (4.80) Maccabi T.A. (8.50)23:00: (2.35) Dynamo Kyiv (3.30) Ferencvaros (3.10)23:00: (2.70) Hoffenheim (3.45) Olympique Lyon (2.55)23:00: (2.45) Lazio (3.50) Porto (3.05)23:00: (1.27) Man.Utd. (6.25) PAOK (9.50)23:00: (4.70) Plzen (3.50) Sociedad (1.80)23:00: (5.20) Rigas (3.60) Anderlecht (1.72)***odds are subject to change***
© Agence France-Presse