Everything Victor Osimhen said about Hatayspor draw, why he rejected Man United to stay at Galatasaray

Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen addressed several topics after helping Galatasaray secure a hard-fought 1-1 Super Lig draw at Atakaş Hatayspor on Friday night, Soccernet.ng reports.

Osimhen converted a second-half penalty to cancel out Cemali Sertel’s 28th-minute opener for the hosts.

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Speaking after the game, Osimhen admitted that Galatasaray were below their best in the first half but improved significantly after manager Okan Buruk’s halftime pep talk.

“There was a bit of a lack of intensity in the first half,” Osimhen said, as quoted on Galatasaray’s official website.

“We let the opponent play a bit. Then, with the speech of our coach, we started the second half very well. We also increased the intensity. We focused a lot on our game.

“These matches are difficult. We need to maintain our focus. We need to take advantage of every opportunity. We missed many opportunities. We will try to do better by learning from our mistakes.”

When Osimhen joined Galatasaray in the summer, a clause in his loan deal allowed him to leave during the January transfer window for certain listed clubs, including Manchester United.

However, Manchester United’s attempts to sign Osimhen were reportedly rejected, as the Super Eagles striker is determined to remain at Galatasaray until the season’s end.

The 26-year-old forward explained his decision, emphasizing the warm reception he received upon joining Galatasaray. Osimhen remains focused on helping the Turkish champions achieve their objectives.

“When I came to the team, my friends welcomed me very well,” Osimhen said.

“They helped me in every way. My coach was always with me. He showed me confidence. My teammates showed the same. Thanks to this, it was easy to adapt.

“I am focused on the team right now. We have certain goals for the season. We are taking firm steps towards these goals. We continue to fight. I believe we will achieve great things.”

Galatasaray remain unbeaten after 19 matches in the Super Lig and enjoy a nine-point lead over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, who have a game in hand. The Lions are also chasing silverware in the Europa League and the Turkish Cup.

Despite Galatasaray’s packed schedule, with 29 games played across all competitions this season, Osimhen dismissed the notion of fatigue affecting their performance against Hatayspor.

“I don’t think there is fatigue in the team,” Osimhen noted. “This is our job. It’s not just the 11 players. The guys on the bench are always ready. I think it’s normal to have two games during the week and two at the weekend.

“I’m always ready and I always want to play for my team. We’ll look at this game and see our mistakes. We’ll learn from them and try to do better.”

Osimhen has been in stellar form, scoring 11 goals in 14 league matches this season.

Remarkably, he has hit double digits in goals in each of the last seven seasons, spanning stints with Galatasaray, Napoli, Lille, and Sporting Charleroi.