- Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi warned his teammates that total concentration will be needed to contain Victor Osimhen when they face Galatasaray in the Champions League
- Cubarsi noted that Osimhen's familiarity with the home environment at RAMS Park makes him an especially dangerous threat for the Spanish champions
- Galatasaray are monitoring Osimhen's fitness after he returned from an adductor injury and came off the bench in their last domestic match
Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has warned his side that they must maintain the highest level of focus from the first whistle when they take on Galatasaray and striker Victor Osimhen in Istanbul on Tuesday night in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase.
The match, which takes place at RAMS Park, marks the second fixture in the league phase for both clubs.
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According to SportsMole, Galatasaray go into the game looking to recover after falling to a 3-1 defeat away to Sporting CP in their European opener. Barcelona, by contrast, arrive in Turkey off the back of a commanding 5-1 win over Feyenoord and an unbeaten start to their La Liga campaign.
Cubarsi focuses on Osimhen threat
Cubarsi did not shy away from naming Osimhen as the central concern heading into the tie, GOAL reports.
The young Barcelona centre-back said the Nigerian forward would be a purposeful and driven presence, particularly given the backing of his home crowd.
"We faced Osimhen a few years ago. We expect to come up against an opponent who knows exactly what he wants, especially as he is playing at home. It will be important for us to be at the peak of our concentration from the very start," Cubarsi said.
He also flagged the intensity of the RAMS Park atmosphere as a factor Barcelona cannot afford to underestimate.
"We know the qualities the opponent has, and we are aware of the nature of the stadium we will be playing in and the atmosphere around it. We have to produce our style of play and pay attention to the small details."
Osimhen's fitness under watch
Galatasaray's coaching staff will be watching Osimhen's condition carefully before confirming whether he will start.
The Super Eagles striker missed Galatasaray's first Champions League match through an adductor injury and only returned to action recently, coming off the bench against Kasimpasa.
Osimhen made an impact despite not starting, contributing to Mario Lemina's stoppage-time goal for the Turkish side.
Whether that cameo performance is enough to earn him a place in the starting eleven against Barcelona remains a key question ahead of the match.
His inclusion from the off would represent a significant upgrade in attacking threat for the hosts, who need a result to get their European campaign back on track.
Hansi Flick sends message to Osimhen
Legit.ng previously reported on Barcelona coach Hansi Flick’s warning ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray and his praise for Osimhen.
Osimhen returned from injury with an assist in just 18 minutes against Kasimpasa and is expected to lead Galatasaray’s attack against Barcelona.
Source: Legit.ng
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