Victor Osimhen starts for Galatasaray against LOSC this Wednesday at Pierre-Mauroy in matchday 3 of the Champions League. Ismail Jakobs also starts, as do Nabil Bentaleb and Ngal’ayel Mukau for Lille.
The official line-ups were unveiled at 17:45 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, according to Eurosport, ahead of kick-off in Lille-Galatasaray. Victor Osimhen (27) leads the line in the 4-2-3-1 of Okan Buruk, Galatasaray’s head coach. The Nigerian striker returns to the Lille pitch for the first time since leaving LOSC in 2020.
Four African internationals start this match: Osimhen and Senegal left-back Ismail Jakobs for the Turkish side, Algeria central midfielder Nabil Bentaleb and DR Congo’s Ngal’ayel Mukau, also a central midfielder, in Lille’s engine room. Two teams without a point meet.
Osimhen returns to Pierre-Mauroy
According to Canal+ Foot, the Galatasaray striker starts on his first return to the Lille pitch since his 2020 departure. In the Dogues shirt, he scored 18 goals in all competitions in the 2019/2020 season, Eurosport recalls.
On the left flank of the Istanbul defence, Senegal’s Ismail Jakobs also starts, according to WhoScored. In a 4-2-3-1 with Osimhen up front, Okan Buruk thus fields his Nigerian striker and his Senegalese full-back from kick-off.
Bentaleb and Mukau in Lille’s engine room
For LOSC, the setup is different: Davide Ancelotti, Lille’s head coach, has built a 4-3-3 in which Nabil Bentaleb starts alongside captain Benjamin André and DR Congo’s Ngal’ayel Mukau, Canal+ Foot reports. The trio is tasked with the midfield battle against the Istanbul side.
On the Turkish bench, by contrast, African internationals Mario Lemina and Wilfried Singo start among the substitutes, according to WhoScored.
Two teams chasing their first points
Both clubs are looking for their first points in the competition after two opening defeats, Flashscore points out. Lille lost their first two European outings, against Real Betis (2-3) and then at Arsenal (0-3). Galatasaray lost to Sporting CP (1-3) and then to Barcelona (1-4), according to Eurosport.
In the league phase table, Galatasaray sit 35th, just behind Lille in 34th, before kick-off, according to Sport News Africa.
Kick-off is at 18:45 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy this Wednesday 21 October 2026. Matchday 4 of the league phase is scheduled for early November 2026.