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Victor Osimhen made headlines during Galatasaray’s 3-1 triumph over Alanyaspor when he declined the captain’s armband, choosing instead to defer the leadership role back to Ilkay Gundogan. He later described this decision as a gesture of respect.
Osimhen played a pivotal role in the victory at RAMS Park, contributing a goal and an assist. However, the captaincy exchange caught significant attention, overshadowing even the on-field performance.
Leadership decision
With regular captain Mauro Icardi starting on the bench and vice-captains Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Kaan Ayhan absent from the starting lineup, Lucas Torreira initially led the team. His substitution in the 79th minute set the stage for the armband’s journey.
As Gundogan entered the match, the armband was passed to him, and he subsequently approached Osimhen to offer him the captaincy. Osimhen, with a swift gesture of humility, declined and returned it to Gundogan.
Expressing his admiration, Osimhen stated, “İlkay is someone I respect very much, he is very valuable to me,” reflecting the mutual respect within the team. This display of camaraderie highlighted the spirit of unity at Galatasaray.
“He is a person known worldwide. He is both calm and motivating. He is someone we can always talk to.
“He is very visionary. When he brought me the captain’s armband, it felt strange. I gave it back so he could lead us. He helps us every time he comes into the game. He is someone who deserves love.”
Focus on the result
The match itself proved competitive. Galatasaray, coming off a midweek win over Juventus, took the lead before half-time through Gabriel Sara.
Alanyaspor equalised early in the second half when Steve Mounie headed home. Osimhen was later involved in a contentious penalty incident but chose not to protest.
“There was contact,” he said. “I didn’t want to argue… The important thing is that we won the match.”
Osimhen assisted Torreira to restore the lead before capitalising on a mistake by goalkeeper Paulo Victor to score his 10th league goal of the season and seal the victory.