Osimhen is a Winner, Batrakov

Galatasaray midfielder Aleksey Batrakov has called Victor Osimhen a perfectionist who will do anything to win. He praised the Nigerian striker for his competitive spirit and for celebrating his teammates’ successes, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Batrakov remembered his first training session with the Turkish champions. Osimhen showed his drive to win during a mini-tournament among the players.

“Osimhen is a perfectionist. Top-notch in every sense. It was my first training session; we held a mini tournament among ourselves, and that’s where I understood what kind of perfectionist he is, how he always wants to win,” Batrakov said, as quoted by Forza Cimbom.

The Russian midfielder also mentioned Osimhen’s actions during a penalty shootout that left a strong impression on him.

“He will do anything to win. The match ended 2-2 and went to penalties. Osimhen gave me the final penalty; he said, ‘you take it.’ I scored, and he came running to me from the other end of the field to join in my celebration. It was an incredible gesture,” he said.

Batrakov’s comments come after Osimhen recently faced criticism about his performances after returning from a groin injury. He insisted that he remains confident in his abilities and is not afraid of challenges.

The Super Eagles striker ended his Champions League goal drought with a goal in Galatasaray’s 4-2 win away to Lille on October 21. This brought his total in European competitions for the club to 14.

Osimhen had faced criticism from Turkish media and pundits after not scoring in three matches against Kasımpaşa, Barcelona, and Gençlerbirliği. However, he brushed off claims that the pressure affected him, stating that nobody could dictate how he played.

The 27-year-old also stressed that Galatasaray’s success as a team is more important than individual awards. He said the club is bigger than any player.

Osimhen and Batrakov now want to help Galatasaray win when they face rivals Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Süper Lig on Monday.