Galatasaray Coach Reacts to Victor Osimhen’s Disallowed Penalty vs Lille
by Elijah Odetokun, https://www.facebook.com/legitngnews · Legit.ng News · Join- Galatasaray beat Lille 4-2 in the UEFA Champions League, but a first-half penalty awarded to the Turkish side was overturned by VAR
- Victor Osimhen won the initial spot kick after contact from Lille goalkeeper Berke Özer, only for the referee to reverse the call after a review
- Okan Buruk weighed in on the decision, contrasting the officiating with what he described as a poor performance in the game against Sporting
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has defended the decision to cancel a penalty that appeared to have been awarded to his team during their 4-2 win over Lille in the UEFA Champions League.
The incident occurred in the first half when Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen came into contact with Lille goalkeeper Berke Özer as the goalkeeper attempted to clear the ball.
Referee Rade Obrenović initially signalled a penalty, but the Video Assistant Referee flagged the decision for a review. After checking the footage, the referee reversed his original call.
Osimhen still made his mark on the game, breaking his Champions League goal duck for the season with a strike in the second half. A second goal late in the match to make it 5-2 for Galatasaray was ruled out for offside.
Buruk accepts Osimhen's disallowed penalty
Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Buruk addressed the overturned penalty directly, saying the VAR intervention was justified while using the occasion to revisit what he described as poor officiating in a previous European fixture against Sporting.
“I will say this because you asked. In the Sporting match, there was a very bad referee and VAR referee,” Buruk said via Sondakika.
“Today, there was a good referee and VAR referee. The cancellation of our penalty today was the correct decision.”
The result kept Galatasaray competitive in the competition despite the officiating drama, with the Super Eagles forward playing a central role in the Turkish club's attacking play throughout the match.
Every word of Osimhen’s fiery rant
Legit.ng previously reported every word of Victor Osimhen’s fiery message to his critics after scoring his first Champions League goal this season.
The striker hit back at his detractors, claiming that he has no fear and that has made him one of the very best strikers in the world.