Galatasaray pundit Mehmet Özcan has shed light on why Victor Osimhen allowed teammate Barış Alper Yılmaz to take a penalty during the commanding 3-0 victory over Fenerbahçe at Rams Park on Sunday evening.

Osimhen, making his return from injury, had earlier given the hosts the lead before Yılmaz doubled the advantage from the spot in the second half. 

The decision raised eyebrows among fans, given the Nigerian striker's established role as the team's primary penalty taker and his near-perfect record from 12 yards.

Speaking on the 10 Numara YouTube channel, Özcan revealed that the decision may have been influenced by circumstances surrounding Yılmaz's future at the club. 

"My trusted source on the intelligence side told me to 'investigate why Barış Alper Yılmaz took the penalty in the Fenerbahçe match," he said as reported by habersarikirmizi.

"Because Osimhen was flawless from penalties. Perhaps he didn't want to miss the opportunity to score in his last derby match for Galatasaray and prove himself a 'True Galatasaray player.'"

Osimhen's gesture has since been interpreted as a sign of leadership and team spirit within the squad, further underlining his growing influence since joining the club. 

The 27-year-old has been in outstanding form this season, registering 20 goals and seven assists in 31 appearances across all competitions, playing a key role as Galatasaray close in on the league title. 

Adeyemi Adewale