It was another charged night in Istanbul as Victor Osimhen found himself at the heart of controversy during Galatasaray’s 1-1 draw with Beşiktaş on Saturday, Footynaija.com reports
The Super Eagles striker, whose goals have lit up the Turkish Super Lig this season, became the focus for all the wrong reasons after a fiery exchange with an opposing defender towards the end of the first half.
The clash came in a derby that rarely fails to ignite emotions. From the opening whistle, both sets of players played with raw intensity, fuelled by one of football’s fiercest rivalries.
Galatasaray had entered the tie unbeaten in the league and full of confidence, but Beşiktaş made sure every challenge carried a statement.
For all his brilliance, Osimhen’s volatility once again became the talking point after full-time. Cameras have sometimes captured his visible frustration, from exchanges with defenders to animated protests at officials.
In this instance, social media was ablaze. One fan on X (formerly Twitter), using the handle @maxvayshia, summed up a widespread sentiment:
“This was Osimhen yesterday and these are the issues. Imagine if he did this to an English player in England. Mind you, he did this to a Turkish guy.”
The user didn’t stop there, adding:
“And you wonder why other top clubs wouldn’t touch him with a 10 feet pole. Same temper and lack of self-control is what pitched him against his coach and that irresponsible wagging of his tongue on social media.”
That reference points back to Osimhen’s public fallout with former Super Eagles coach Finidi George, when he criticised the coach online after being accused of skipping national duty.
For some supporters, Saturday’s confrontation merely reinforced long-held concerns about Osimhen’s temperament.
As the viral post bluntly put it, “He needs to be sat down and admonished. Great player but terrible attitude.”
As revealed in an earlier report, certain European clubs had already flagged Osimhen’s attitude as a potential red flag during the summer window, combining it with questions about his wage demands.
Those reservations reportedly influenced why some top sides hesitated to make a move, even as the Nigerian’s goal record remained impressive.
Yet, context matters. Osimhen’s competitive fire has always been both his weapon and his weakness. Earlier in the midweek, he scored the decisive penalty in Galatasaray’s 1-0 Champions League win over Liverpool, a performance hailed across Europe.
His passion is often what drags his teams forward; but in a heated derby like Galatasaray vs Beşiktaş, that same energy can spill over.
