Nigerian striker and Galatasaray loanee, Victor Osimhen, faced backlash on Monday after sharing his club’s anti-racism statement against Fenerbahçe manager, José Mourinho.
Galatasaray had accused Mourinho of making racist remarks following their 0-0 draw on Monday. The controversy stemmed from Mourinho’s post-match comments where he praised the foreign referee while implying that a Turkish referee would have been disastrous. He also referenced the opposition bench “jumping around like monkeys” after a challenge early in the game.
In response, Galatasaray announced plans to file a formal complaint against Mourinho, insisting his words were offensive and amounted to racism.
Osimhen’s decision to repost Galatasaray’s statement on his Instagram story sparked mixed reactions. Some fans felt he had misjudged the situation, arguing that Mourinho’s words were taken out of context. Others defended Osimhen, stating he was simply backing his club.
One X user, #Olalekanjosephs, criticized Osimhen’s social media activity, saying, “I just hate the fact that any small thing, Osimhen don jump on social media and post… Sometimes, it’s common sense to take yourself out of controversies.”
Another user, #IamJayBangz, pointed out the hypocrisy in the debate, saying, “Until UEFA judgment comes. But I never noticed your opinion when Osimhen was rude to Finidi.”
#ElikorBenson defended Mourinho, stating, “Galatasaray can never convince me Mourinho is racist. They are the ones being sensitive. Africans suffer real racism; leave this agenda.”
Others, like #Oloye, argued that Osimhen had a choice in the matter, adding, “Galatasaray will not stop paying his salary if he chooses not to post it. He’s on loan, not a permanent player.”
Meanwhile, #AsiwajuLerry defended Osimhen, saying, “He never called Mourinho racist, and he never released a statement. His club did. But somehow, people have made Osimhen the scapegoat.”
However, #Emmanuel countered, “Saying he shouldn’t be accountable for what he shared is laughable. Many people saw Osimhen’s post before Galatasaray’s.”
The debate continues, with some urging Osimhen to stay out of controversial matters, while others believe he was simply showing loyalty to his club.
