Victor Osimhen made an impressive return from injury, providing an assist as Galatasaray defeated Kasımpaşa 3-1 in their Turkish Süper Lig encounter at RAMS Park on Friday.

The Nigerian international came off the bench after spending several weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury, helping the Istanbul giants secure a crucial victory despite playing with 10 men for much of the second half.

Galatasaray scored twice in the closing stages to claim all three points, with Osimhen contributing to Mario Lemina’s stoppage-time goal to complete the victory.

The hosts took the lead in the 45th minute when defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı rose to head home from Aleksey Batrakov’s free-kick.

However, Galatasaray’s advantage became more difficult to protect in the 65th minute after midfielder Lucas Torreira was sent off.

The referee upgraded Torreira’s yellow card to a red following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Kasımpaşa capitalised on their numerical advantage three minutes later, with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi finding the net after Galatasaray failed to clear a corner properly.

The visitors’ equaliser put pressure on the hosts, but Galatasaray responded late in the match to regain control.

Barış Alper Yılmaz restored Galatasaray’s lead in the 90th minute, finishing to make it 2-1 and put the hosts on course for victory.

Osimhen then made his presence felt by setting up Lemina’s stoppage-time goal, sealing a 3-1 win for the Turkish champions.

The victory lifted Galatasaray to 16 points and returned them to the top of the Süper Lig table, while Kasımpaşa suffered their first defeat of the campaign and remained on 10 points.

Osimhen’s Return Boosts Galatasaray
Osimhen’s return is a welcome development for Galatasaray, particularly with the club preparing for their upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Barcelona.

The striker had been sidelined after sustaining a groin injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 league victory over İstanbul Başakşehir on September 4.

The club subsequently confirmed a strain in his right adductor muscle group, an injury that forced him to miss matches and withdraw from Nigeria’s squad for the opening qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

His return against Kasımpaşa provides Galatasaray with an additional attacking option as they prepare for a demanding run of fixtures.

Osimhen’s late assist also underlined his immediate contribution after returning from injury, as Galatasaray overcame a numerical disadvantage to secure an important league victory.

The Nigerian forward will now be hoping to regain full fitness and build momentum as the Istanbul club continues its domestic and European campaigns.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed criticism of Kylian Mbappe over his activities during the international break, describing the controversy surrounding the France captain as “ridiculous”.

Mbappe withdrew from France duty after sustaining an injury against Turkey on September 25 but later attracted public attention after sharing images of himself attending a Paris Fashion Week event and riding a bicycle.

The forward’s activities sparked criticism, with questions raised over whether he should have engaged in such outings while recovering from an injury that prevented him from representing his country.

However, Mourinho defended the 27-year-old, insisting that Real Madrid’s players had fulfilled their obligations to the club during the break.

According to BBC Sport, the Portuguese manager maintained that the criticism surrounding the players was unnecessary, stressing that the club expected its footballers to meet professional standards.

“When it comes to Real Madrid, it’s always different,” Mourinho said.

“But all the players did exactly what they were supposed to during the break. And then you always want to look for more problems and issues.”

Mourinho, however, warned that players who failed to meet the club’s expectations would face disciplinary consequences.

He explained that any Real Madrid player who failed to behave in accordance with the club’s standards would not be considered for selection until the situation was addressed.

“What I can promise is when a Real Madrid player doesn’t behave the way a Real Madrid player is supposed to and when he fails at that and he stops being a Real Madrid player for 24 hours, you will not see that player on the bench because he will be at home,” he added.

The manager also dismissed suggestions that Mbappe had acted irresponsibly after photographs emerged showing him riding a bicycle in Switzerland.

Mourinho explained that bicycles were available for guests at his hotel complex to use for short journeys, offering context to the images that had generated criticism.

Asked whether the media coverage surrounding Mbappe had been exaggerated, the Portuguese manager responded: “Exaggerated, no — I think it was ridiculous.”

He further suggested that Mbappe’s involvement in Real Madrid’s next match would demonstrate that the forward had fulfilled his responsibilities to the club.

“If Mbappe plays tomorrow, it’s because he hasn’t failed Real Madrid and he hasn’t failed to fulfil his obligations to the club,” Mourinho said.

The controversy comes as Real Madrid seek to maintain consistency in their La Liga campaign, with the Spanish giants trailing league leaders Barcelona by six points after seven matches.

The club will be keen to close the gap as the season progresses, making the availability and performance of key players increasingly important.

Mbappe remains one of the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or following an impressive debut season with Real Madrid, during which he scored 42 goals in 44 appearances.

Despite his individual achievements, Real Madrid ended the previous campaign without a trophy, increasing expectations for the club to deliver silverware this season.

The France captain also claimed the Golden Boot at the World Cup with 10 goals, taking his career tally at the tournament to a record 22, although France finished fourth.

His performances have continued to place him among the leading figures in world football, while the latest controversy has renewed discussions about the scrutiny faced by elite players over their conduct away from competitive matches.

Mourinho’s defence indicates that, in his view, the key consideration is whether a player has fulfilled his professional obligations rather than the public perception generated by activities during a break from international duty.

Cristiano Ronaldo has paid tribute to longtime rival Lionel Messi following the Argentine forward’s emotional farewell from international football.

Messi played his final match for Argentina on Tuesday night, scoring once and providing two assists as the South American champions defeated Benin 3-0 in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The 39-year-old, widely regarded as one of football’s most decorated players, described the occasion as “the saddest day of my career” after more than two decades representing Argentina.

Following the match, Messi shared a post on Instagram reflecting on his international career. Ronaldo responded to the post with a message highlighting his respect for the Argentine’s achievements.

“Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will live on forever. You have all my respect for everything you’ve achieved with Argentina. A hug,” Ronaldo wrote.

The message was widely reported on Wednesday, with Spanish newspaper Marca among the outlets highlighting the exchange between the two football icons.

Although Ronaldo and Messi were fierce competitors for much of their careers, particularly during their years in La Liga, the pair have repeatedly expressed admiration and respect for one another.

Their rivalry became one of the defining narratives of modern football, with the Portuguese and Argentine stars competing for major individual honours while representing Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

Messi brought his international career to a close after a remarkable spell with Argentina. He made a record 208 appearances for the national team and scored 126 goals.

He also captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, ending a long wait for the country to win football’s biggest prize. His international honours also include Copa América triumphs.

Ronaldo has similarly maintained a prominent role on the international stage with Portugal, while continuing his club career with Al-Nassr.

The latest exchange between the two players comes as both approach the latter stages of their illustrious careers, with Messi playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and Ronaldo continuing in Saudi Arabia.

Their careers have been marked by extraordinary individual records, major trophies and more than a decade of competition at the highest level.

Ronaldo’s tribute therefore offered another public reminder of the mutual respect that has developed between two players whose rivalry helped define an era of world football.