Victor Osimhen kept up his scoring habit even in defeat, netting again as Galatasaray closed out a mixed pre-season with a 2-1 loss to Villarreal.
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Victor Osimhen was on the scoresheet again for Galatasaray, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal in the Turkish champions’ final pre-season fixture on Saturday.
Ayoze Perez put Villarreal ahead from the penalty spot inside three minutes, only for Osimhen to level things up almost immediately, scoring just two minutes later to restore parity. The Spanish side regained the lead before the break when Georges Mikautadze struck with four minutes left in the first half, a result that stood for the remainder of the match.
It capped an underwhelming pre-season by results alone for Galatasaray, who managed just one win from five warm up fixtures, with three defeats and a draw included in that run. Osimhen had also scored in a 3-3 draw with French side Rennes the previous weekend, meaning he found the net in back to back pre-season outings despite his side’s inconsistent form. Fans following Osimhen’s build-up to the new season can check Bet9ja’s current promo code ahead of the Super Lig kickoff.
Results aside, the pre-season schedule now gives way to matches that actually count. Galatasaray open their competitive campaign against newly promoted Corum FK, who are playing in the Turkish Super Lig for the first time in their history, with kickoff set for August 16.
Osimhen arrives at that fixture as the man who fired Galatasaray to the title last season, finishing as the club’s outright top scorer with 15 league goals and 22 in all competitions across 33 appearances. It marked back to back Super Lig titles for the Nigerian, having also lifted the trophy during his debut season on loan from Napoli in 2024/25. New Bet9ja users tracking Nigerian strikers in Turkey can check how to get the Bet9ja promotion code before the new campaign begins.
Galatasaray’s dominant title-winning season last year included some eye catching scorelines, among them a 5-1 demolition of Eyupspor, though it wasn’t without setbacks either, including a heavy 5-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
Head coach Okan Buruk, who has now guided the club to back-to-back league titles, will be looking to shake off the rough pre-season form quickly once the Super Lig campaign gets underway, with Osimhen once again expected to lead the line as the club chases a third straight championship. Punters following Galatasaray’s title defence can check Bet9ja’s YOHAIG code as the new season kicks off.
For Osimhen personally, the consistency shown across pre-season, scoring in consecutive matches even amid team struggles, suggests he’s picking up right where last season’s Golden Boot chasing form left off, regardless of what the pre-season results table says.
📌 Did You Know?
- Galatasaray were founded in 1905 and are one of Turkey’s most decorated football clubs.
- Osimhen finished as the club’s outright top scorer in all competitions last season, netting 22 goals in 33 appearances.
- Last season’s title triumph was Osimhen’s second in as many seasons in Turkey, having also won the league while on loan in 2024/25.
- Corum FK are making their first ever appearance in the Turkish Super Lig this season.
- Galatasaray’s biggest win last season was a 5-1 thrashing of Eyupspor at home.
- The club’s heaviest defeat of the season came in the Champions League, a 5-1 loss away to Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Head coach Okan Buruk has now led Galatasaray to back-to-back Super Lig titles since taking charge.
