Osimhen Galatasaray Demands: Striker Reacts After Failure To Beat Çorum
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has urged his teammates to work harder and raise their level of performance after the Turkish champions were held to a 2-2 draw by newly-promoted Çorum FK in the opening week of the Turkish Super Lig season.
Osimhen was the standout performer on the night, scoring both goals as Galatasaray were unexpectedly held at home by Süper Lig first-timers Çorum. The Nigeria international broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute, but the visitors hit back through Alexandros Kyziridis before taking a shock lead through Jesus Ramirez, stunning the reigning champions in their own backyard. Kyziridis was later shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Yunus Akgun, reducing Çorum to 10 men for the final 20 minutes of the match. Galatasaray pushed for an equaliser with their numerical advantage, and it was Osimhen who eventually rescued a point, powering home a header in the 89th minute to complete his brace and level the score at 2-2.
Despite his individual heroics, Galatasaray pushed for a winner in the closing stages but could not find one, with Çorum goalkeeper efforts and a crucial save from Galatasaray’s own Uğurcan Çakır at the other end proving decisive in preserving the draw. The result left the Turkish champions searching for their first league win of the new campaign, despite Osimhen’s two-goal contribution.
Speaking to beIN Sports and GS TV after the final whistle, Osimhen did not hide his frustration with the overall team performance, describing the result as a “wake-up call” for the squad. “Disappointment! I think it was actually a wake-up call. We weren’t underestimating our opponent. These kinds of opponents are tough. We knew they would challenge us, and they did. We need to wake up. We’re experiencing disappointment,” he said.
The Nigerian forward went further, calling on his teammates to significantly raise their intensity and work rate as Galatasaray prepare for a demanding season that includes another UEFA Champions League campaign. “It’s going to be a tough season. The team is well aware of that. We need to work very hard,” Osimhen said. “We need to give our all on the pitch. The fans are always behind us. We need to gain momentum before the Champions League. Our fighting spirit must increase.”
Osimhen’s comments come amid continued transfer speculation surrounding his future, with the striker having been strongly linked with a move to Premier League side Arsenal, as well as Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. Reports in Turkey suggest Galatasaray have lowered their asking price for the forward to around €65 million amid interest from Al-Hilal, while the club is also said to have rejected a bid from Atletico Madrid for his signature. Despite the swirling transfer talk, Osimhen remained focused on Galatasaray’s domestic campaign, with the club now turning their attention to their next league fixture away to Erzurumspor on Friday, August 21, 2026, as they look to bounce back and kickstart their title defence.
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