Galatasaray’s star-studded attack has been the talk of the season, with Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi forming a lethal partnership up front.
There were immediate questions over how manager Okan Buruk would fit in the two prolific strikers, but that doubt was quickly extinguished.
The team has not lost any of the six matches they have started together, winning five and drawing one and scoring a total of 16 goals, with Osimhen and Icardi scoring four each. That promising partnership was brought to an abrupt halt by the cruciate ligament injury that has ruled Icardi out, leaving the Nigerian without his trusted partner.
With eight goals and four assists in just 10 matches, the 25-year-old striker has won the heart of the fans. Icardi, on the other hand, has netted six times in 14 games but has struggled to maintain focus amid personal challenges, including his separation from his wife.
PAY ATTENTION: John Force net worth
Soydan’s claims of Icardi being jealous of Osimhen
Former Beşiktaş defender Selim Soydan has now weighed in on the dynamics between both superstars. Speaking to Haber Sari Kirmizi, he claimed that Icardi isn’t pleased with Osimhen’s rise.
”I can say this very clearly: Mauro Icardi is jealous of Osimhen, Soydan said, as quoted by Haber sari kirmizi,
”He did not expect it to explode this much. The fans also embraced Osimhen. It’s not just football. A footballer is jealous of another footballer; a goal scorer is jealous of another goal scorer; a star is jealous of another star. This is not a situation that an athlete can tolerate.
“If Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi had played 3-4 more games, they would have wiped Icardi off the pitch. He couldn’t focus on the pitch because he separated from his wife. If Osimhen starts to get productive, all the goals Mauro Icardi scored will be forgotten in 2 days, that’s all I’m saying.”
Meanwhile, with the unavailability of Icardi, Osimhen now has Mitchy Batshuayi as his partner up front in Buruk’s two-man attack system, and he will hope their partnership flourishes as they aim for a successful season.
