Villarreal coach slams Osimhen after friendly row

Villarreal coach Inigo Perez has strongly criticized Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, accusing him of entering the pitch with the intention "to fight" during a pre-season friendly. The confrontation occurred during Villarreal's 2-1 victory over Galatasaray on Saturday.

The incident took place in the 37th minute when Osimhen reacted angrily to being blocked by Villarreal defender Santiago Mouriño. Osimhen shoved the Uruguayan defender to the ground, prompting intervention from Galatasaray teammates to prevent further escalation. Referee Kadir Sağlam issued yellow cards to both players.

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There is not much to say about football, because the opposing team didn’t come onto the field to play football, but to fight.

"There is not much to say about football, because the opposing team didn’t come onto the field to play football, but to fight," Perez stated after the match. "Osimhen attacked our player out of nowhere and only got a yellow card." The coach felt the punishment was insufficient for Osimhen's actions.

The confrontation marred an otherwise notable performance from Osimhen, who had scored Galatasaray's equalizer in the fifth minute. Ayoze Perez had initially put Villarreal ahead before Osimhen's header. However, Georges Mikautadze restored Villarreal's lead before halftime, securing the win for the Spanish side. The incident involving Osimhen became the primary talking point following the final whistle, overshadowing the match's outcome and Galatasaray's ongoing pre-season struggles.

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Osimhen attacked our player out of nowhere and only got a yellow card.