Super Eagles attacker Victor Osimhen has come under intense scrutiny in Turkey amid serious allegations that he intentionally engineered a suspension for himself just days before linking up with the Nigerian national team for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The star striker, who is due to join the Super Eagles camp in Cairo imminently, was walking a disciplinary tightrope heading into Galatasaray’s Super Lig game against Antalyaspor on Saturday, having already accumulated bookings against Beşiktaş, Kocaelispor, and Fenerbahçe.
The controversy arose in the 85th minute of Saturday’s match when Osimhen received a yellow card for a foul. This fourth caution automatically triggered a one-match ban, ruling him out of Galatasaray’s next fixture against Kasımpaşa.
Since Osimhen is named in the Super Eagles’ 28-man AFCON squad, he would have missed the Kasımpaşa game anyway due to international duty. Crucially, the automatic ban will now be served during his absence, meaning his card tally resets upon his return, effectively preventing him from missing a domestic game later in the season.
Turkish outlet Gazete Gerçek reports that this sequence of events has prompted accusations of foul play, suggesting Osimhen could be referred to the Turkish Football Federation Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) for further investigation.
Article 37 of the PFDK’s disciplinary code specifically covers cases of players allegedly “deliberately receiving a yellow card.” If the PFDK finds the player guilty, Article 37 mandates an additional two-match ban on top of the automatic one-match suspension.
If the PFDK applies this additional two-match sanction and the Super Eagles advance to the AFCON final on January 18, Osimhen could potentially miss several crucial Galatasaray fixtures upon his return, including matches against İstanbul Başakşehir, Kasımpaşa, Fethiyespor, Trabzonspor, and Gaziantep FK.
The investigation could significantly impact Galatasaray during a vital period of the Turkish Super Lig season.
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