Former Besiktas star Sinan Engin has questioned the effectiveness of Mauro Icardi following Galatasaray's 2-1 loss to Trabzonspor on Saturday, praising the impact of Paul Onuachu in the encounter. 

The Yellow-Reds, playing without injured Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, were defeated in his absence at Papara Park, further underlining his importance to the team.

Onuachu delivered a standout performance, scoring for Trabzonspor alongside fellow Nigerian Chibuike Nwaiwu, while Wilfried Singo netted the lone goal for Galatasaray. 

The result extended a concerning trend for the Istanbul giants, who have struggled to maintain consistency without Osimhen leading the line.

Speaking on the Asist Analiz YouTube channel, Engin did not hold back in his criticism of Icardi's display, questioning the Argentine's influence in high-stakes matches.

He dismissed excuses about lack of service, insisting that elite strikers must find ways to impact games regardless of circumstances. 

"With Icardi , things won't work out. Galatasaray fans need to wake up. I'm a fan of Icardi too, but there's this joke about 'the ball isn't reaching me' in a top-level match," he said via habersarikirmizi. "They need defenders who will fight and struggle a bit."

Highlighting Onuachu's performance as a benchmark, Engin posed a rhetorical question about the Nigerian's effectiveness, contrasting it with Icardi's struggles. 

He further stressed Osimhen's significance, suggesting that if Galatasaray clinch the league title, the squad should show their appreciation to the Nigerian forward for his contributions.

"How does Onuachu do it? If Galatasaray wins the championship at the end of the season, the team should get together and give Osimhen a huge gift. Galatasaray without Osimhen is just a normal team," he added. 

Adeyemi Adewale