Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has spoken about the incident that led to Göztepe defender Malcom Bokele’s red card during their Turkish Super Lig match at the weekend. Osimhen, who scored in the 3-1 victory for Galatasaray, said Bokele’s foul on him was harsh and painful, adding that he didn’t initially know the defender had already been booked.

The Nigerian forward was fouled in the first half when Bokele’s hand struck his face during a duel, leading the referee to show a second yellow card and send him off. Speaking after the match, Osimhen told Ekol Sports, “I didn’t know Bokele had a yellow card. His hand came to my cheek and hit me very hard. There was clear contact.”

Osimhen added that such a challenge would also have been punished in European competitions. “Our other opponent will start crying on social media, but in Europe, this play is a yellow card,” he said, defending the referee’s decision.

Despite the foul, Osimhen maintained his composure and went on to score, helping Galatasaray secure an important win that keeps them in strong contention in the league. His goal continues his fine form since joining the Turkish giants, further solidifying his reputation as one of Europe’s most clinical forwards.

Osimhen and his teammates will now shift focus to their next game against Trabzonspor next weekend, where the Nigerian striker will look to continue his scoring streak and lead Galatasaray to another victory.