Muriqi warns Osimhen: Fenerbahçe defence ready to neutralise Super Eagles striker in Monday derby
Fenerbahçe forward Vedat Muriqi has warned Victor Osimhen ahead of Monday's Galatasaray derby at Rams Park, insisting his team's defence can neutralise the Super Eagles striker. The clash kicks off 8pm Turkish time (6pm WAT) at Galatasaray's home ground in Istanbul.
Osimhen boasts an exceptional record against the Yellow-Navy Blues—undefeated in five official meetings since joining Galatasaray, with two wins and two draws across four league matches plus a Türkiye Cup quarterfinal brace in 2024–25 that secured a 2–1 win. However, the 27-year-old has blanked in his last two Süper Lig outings against Kasımpaşa and Gençlerbirliği, though he ended that drought with a Champions League strike against former club Lille.
Fenerbahçe's defensive organisation will be tested by Osimhen's pace and physicality, but Muriqi told beIN Sport via Turk Inform that he trusts his backline to contain the Nigerian. Galatasaray enter as slight favourites sitting top of the table, while Fenerbahçe trail by three points—making this a potential title-defining encounter.
With Osimhen's World Cup qualifier form crucial for Nigeria, will a strong showing against Fenerbahçe's defence signal his return to peak sharpness, or does the goal drought suggest deeper concerns for the Super Eagles' attack?