Former Besiktas Defender Sparks Controversy With Surprise Claim About Osimhen and Icardi
- Victor Osimhen formed a lethal partnership with Argentine forward, Mauro Icardi, upon his arrival at Galatasaray
- The marquee duo became among Europe's deadliest attacks until Icardi's unfortunate anterior cruciate ligament injury
- A former Beşiktaş defender has recently made a controversial statement about the relationship between both strikers
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Former Beşiktaş defender, Selim Soydan, has recently made an interesting and somewhat controversial claim about Victor Osimhen and his partnership with Mauro Icardi.
It should be recalled that following Galatasaray's signing of the Nigerian forward, one of the biggest questions that arose was how coach Okan Buruk would deploy both strikers, especially considering he had often lined up his team with only one striker.
Source: Getty Images
However, the Turkish tactician switched things up and played both Osimhen and Icardi together.
The partnership between both strikers yielded positive results, with Galatasaray claiming victory in five of the six matches they played together, as well as scoring 16 goals, with both Osimhen and Icardi scoring four goals each.
Sadly, Icardi suffered a rupture to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the UEFA Europa League clash against Tottenham Hotspur, signalling an abrupt end to their lethal partnership.
However, despite the success recorded by their partnership so far, Soydan has claimed that Icardi isn't happy with Osimhen's blistering start at Galatasaray, with the Nigerian international quickly becoming a fan favourite.
Soydan speaks on Icardi being jealous of Osimhen
In an interview relayed by Haber Sari Kirmizi, the retired defender detailed that it became apparent how Icardi was growing increasingly jealous of Osimhen, particularly due to the overwhelming affection the fans showed towards the Nigerian striker.
"I can say this very clearly: Mauro Icardi is jealous of Osimhen. He didn’t expect it to explode this much. The fans embraced Osimhen. It’s not just about football. A footballer is jealous of another footballer, a goal-scorer is jealous of another goal-scorer, a star is jealous of another star. It's not a situation an athlete can tolerate."
He went on to add,
"If Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi had played 3-4 more games together, they would have outshone Icardi on the pitch. He couldn't focus because of his personal issues with his wife. If Osimhen keeps being productive, all of Icardi's goals will be forgotten in two days, that’s all I'm saying."
Since joining Galatasaray, Osimhen has been in sensational form, registering eight goals and four assists in just 10 games across all competitions, according to Fotmob data—outperforming Icardi, who has scored six goals and provided two assists in 14 appearances.
It is also important to note that Galatasaray’s attacking play looked much more potent with both players on the field, compared to the current situation, where all the scoring responsibility has fallen on Osimhen's shoulders.
However, the Nigerian forward has embraced this challenge, scoring two goals in the two matches since Icardi’s unfortunate injury.
Osimhen sends strong message to Galatasaray
YEN.com.gh in another report detailed that Osimhen has sent a strong message to Galatasaray amid Napoli’s latest transfer demands.
The Nigerian forward expressed his desire to continue at the Istanbul outfit and stated that the club should do everything possible to keep him.
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Source: Legit.ng
