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Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen has been rated as the second-best player in the Europa League group stage, according to football statistics site WhoScored, Soccernet.football reports.
The Galatasaray striker delivered a standout campaign, earning a place in the competition’s Team of the League Phase and reinforcing his reputation as one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.
Osimhen’s impressive goal-scoring form continued on Thursday night, as the on-loan Napoli ace netted his fifth Europa League goal of the season in a 2-1 defeat to Ajax.
However, despite his heroics, Galatasaray narrowly missed out on automatic qualification to the round of 16, after finishing the group stage campaign with 13 points. They will now head to the knockout playoffs, where they await their next opponent from the draw on Friday.
In the Europa League top scorers’ race, Osimhen currently sits in joint-third place with five goals, trailing only Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi (7) and Ferencváros’ Barnabás Varga (6).
Ajax’s Bertrand Traoré was ranked as the top player in the group stage with a rating of 7.83, edging out Osimhen, who received an impressive 7.66. Lyon’s Rayan Cherki completed the top three rankings.
The players in the #UEL this season. #Galatasaray are the only team with multiple players in the top 10. pic.twitter.com/iz9zuSwgYR
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 30, 2025
The WhoScored Team of the League Phase features a blend of emerging talents and established stars, with Osimhen leading the attack in a 4-4-2 formation alongside Varga.
The Best XI lineup includes:
Goalkeeper: Martin Jedlička (Viktoria Plzeň)
Defenders: Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Panagiotis Retsos (Olympiakos), Angeliño (Roma)
Midfielders: Bertrand Traoré (Ajax), Yunus Akgün (Galatasaray), Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Patrick Berg (Bodø/Glimt)
Forwards: Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Barnabás Varga (Ferencváros)
Europa League Team of the League Phase #UEL pic.twitter.com/RsICriSqEr
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 31, 2025
Osimhen played six matches in the group stage and made six goal involvements (five goals, one assist) while recording an average of seven shots per game.
The Nigerian striker was unavailable for two matches due to fitness concerns but made an instant impact upon his return, embarking on a four-game scoring streak. This included a brace against Tottenham Hotspur and crucial goals against AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, and Ajax.
