Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen could miss the second leg of his side’s UEFA Champions League tie against Liverpool if he receives a yellow card in Tuesday’s first-leg clash at the RAMS Park in Istanbul.
The Nigerian international is currently walking a disciplinary tightrope after accumulating two yellow cards earlier in the competition, in matches against Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
Another booking against Liverpool would automatically trigger a one-match suspension, ruling him out of the return fixture at Anfield next week.
Osimhen remains one of Galatasaray’s most influential attacking players and holds the record as the club’s highest-scoring foreign player in Champions League history.
His potential absence for the decisive second leg would represent a significant setback for the Turkish champions.
Under UEFA regulations, players who collect three yellow cards during the competition—without receiving a red card—must serve a one-match suspension.
Subsequent odd-numbered bookings, such as the fifth or seventh, also attract a one-match ban.
Yellow cards are only wiped after the quarter-final stage, meaning they remain in effect through the earlier knockout rounds.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has, however, urged UEFA to reconsider the rule following recent changes to the Champions League format.
The competition now features a league phase of eight matches, compared to the previous six-game group stage, as well as an additional knockout round before the Round of 16. Buruk believes the current disciplinary rule does not reflect the increased number of fixtures.
“There could have been a reduction regarding yellow cards for 10 matches,” Buruk said during his pre-match press conference.
“As it stands, yellow cards will be wiped clean in the semi-finals.
UEFA absolutely needs to change this after the number of matches increases. Seven of our players are on the verge of suspension.”
Buruk also revealed that managing players at risk of suspension has complicated his team selection ahead of the encounter.
“We have a very strong squad. I’m having difficulty putting together the team because I have to think about players who are on the verge of suspension and how to reduce that risk,” he added.
Osimhen is not the only Galatasaray player facing the possibility of suspension.
Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır, defenders Ismail Jakobs, Davinson Sánchez, Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Roland Sallai, as well as forward Noa Lang, are also one booking away from a ban.
Even Buruk himself is close to a touchline suspension, with another yellow card set to rule him out of the second leg in England.
Liverpool also have disciplinary concerns, with Conor Bradley and Curtis Jones one booking away from missing the return leg. Meanwhile, injured striker Alexander Isak will not feature in the match.
Both teams met earlier in the competition during the league phase, with Galatasaray securing a 1–0 victory at home thanks to Osimhen’s 16th-minute penalty.
