Osimhen Fires Back At Critics After Match-Winning Display For Galatasaray

Nigeria’s Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, has hit back at critics questioning his recent performances for Galatasaray, insisting that negative comments have no impact on him.

Osimhen faced criticism following Galatasaray’s last two outings against Barcelona and Gençlerbirliği.

The Turkish champions suffered a 4-1 defeat to Barcelona before recovering with a narrow 1-0 win over Gençlerbirliği.

However, the former Napoli player responded in style on Wednesday night, inspiring Galatasaray to an impressive 4-2 victory over his former club, Lille.

The 27-year-old striker found the back of the net in the keenly contested encounter and was subsequently named Man of the Match in recognition of his outstanding display.

Osimhen dismissed the criticism, stressing that he was accustomed to overcoming challenges, and remained confident in his abilities.

“I come from a place where I’m not afraid. I don’t fear difficulties. No one can tell me how to sprint, how to play, or how to score goals. I already do these things, and that’s why I’m one of the world’s best strikers,” he said during his interaction with the media.

“They don’t really know me, and nothing they say affects me. They want to drag me into that, but I’ve approached all the talk with indifference. I have other things to deal with; I’m not bothering with these.”

Galatasaray will now turn their attention to their next fixture against Istanbul rivals Fenerbahçe, with the highly anticipated clash expected to provide another stern test for Okan Buruk’s men.

The Yellow and Reds sit top of the Turkish Super Lig standings with 19 points from eight matches, three points ahead of third-placed Fenerbahçe.

Meanwhile, Osimhen has praised Lille despite Galatasaray’s 4-2 victory over the French side in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter, admitting that their opponents provided a difficult challenge.

Osimhen, who previously played for Lille, expressed his appreciation for the atmosphere at the stadium while acknowledging the difficulty of the encounter.

Reflecting on the contest, the former Napoli forward praised the home supporters and recognised Lille’s competitiveness despite Galatasaray’s eventual victory.

“I love this stadium. The fans are incredible. We had a tough match. I’m very happy for our team; we won,” Osimhen told the club’s official website.

I also wish Lille good luck in their next matches. Lille players are very tough. They even took the lead. We managed to win the match together as a team. I’m happy we got the three points.”

Osimhen was named Player of the Match by the UEFA Technical Observer Group, which praised his constant threat to Lille’s defence, intelligent off-the-ball movement, ability to create space for teammates, and outstanding center-forward play.

Packaged by Lanre Olabisi