Former Turkish football referee Ahmet Çakar has defended Victor Osimhen following the Nigerian striker’s disappointing display in Galatasaray’s 1-4 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.

Osimhen, who recently returned from an injury layoff, started the encounter at Rams Park and played the entire 90 minutes as Galatasaray struggled against the Spanish giants.

The Super Eagles forward found it difficult to influence proceedings, frequently being caught offside as Barcelona’s high defensive line limited his opportunities to threaten their goal.

His performance attracted criticism from supporters and pundits, but Çakar has urged a more measured assessment of the striker, pointing to his recent injury and the lack of quality service from his teammates.

Speaking on the Libero TV YouTube channel, the former referee expressed his belief in Osimhen’s ability, insisting that the Nigerian possesses the quality to succeed at the highest level.

“Osimhen, you know, he could play for any team in the world, he'd be the top scorer in the Premier League,” Çakar said, as quoted by Habersarikirmizi.

“I didn't see anything like that in this match. I admit, he's just recovered from injury, but what kind of performance did the team give him that he should play like that?”

Çakar’s comments suggest that Osimhen’s struggles against Barcelona should not be viewed in isolation, particularly given the circumstances surrounding his return to action and the service available to him during the match.

Before his injury, the Nigerian international had enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, recording six goals and two assists in four league appearances for Galatasaray.

He also made an immediate contribution following his return, providing an assist in Galatasaray’s 3-1 victory over Kasimpasa.

Despite the setback against Barcelona, Osimhen’s early-season numbers underline his importance to the Turkish champions as they continue their domestic and European campaigns.

The striker will now be looking to regain full match sharpness and return to his goalscoring form as Galatasaray seek to bounce back from their heavy Champions League defeat.