Galatasaray winger Yunus Akgün has defended teammate Victor Osimhen against recent criticism of his on-field temperament, saying the Nigerian striker's intensity comes from a desire to win.
Akgün made the remarks in a Turkish interview shared on Twitter by Le Marca Sports, responding to comments by former Beşiktaş midfielder Sinan Engin, who claimed Osimhen's reactions were affecting team chemistry.
Asked about Osimhen's sometimes aggressive behavior, Akgün said he attributes it "entirely to the desire to win and to score goals." He added that because the two know each other well, they do not make an issue of such moments. "On the field, this is all very natural. I also try to create goal-scoring opportunities for him as much as I can," Akgün said. "Osimhen and I always get along very well off the field too."
The exchange follows scrutiny after Galatasaray's 4-1 loss to Samsunspor on May 2, a game in which Osimhen assisted Akgün's ninth-minute opener. Engin, speaking on the Asist Analiz channel, had suggested Akgün often forces passes to Osimhen because the striker "gets angry" when ignored.