Turkey: Osimhen Should Have Been Sent Off in Derby Clash with Beşiktaş – Yalçın

Sergen Yalçın, the head coach of Beşiktaş, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the officiating during Saturday night’s intense Istanbul derby against Galatasaray. According to the manager, Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen should have received a red card during the encounter.

The highly anticipated derby ended in disappointment for the Black Eagles, who saw their impressive four-match winning streak come to an end after suffering a narrow 1–0 defeat to the reigning champions. The decisive moment of the match came from Osimhen, whose goal in the first half ultimately proved enough to separate both teams after ninety minutes of intense football.

Early drama unfolded in the sixth minute of the match when Osimhen collided with Beşiktaş goalkeeper Ersin Destanoğlu. The incident resulted in the Nigerian forward receiving a yellow card from the referee. Despite the booking, Osimhen remained on the pitch and continued to influence the match.

Controversy escalated later when the striker deliberately kicked the ball away after play had already been halted. Such actions are often punished with a second yellow card for delaying the restart of play. However, the referee decided against issuing another caution, allowing Osimhen to stay in the game.

Yalçın voiced frustration regarding the referee’s decision and also questioned the absence of intervention from the Video Assistant Referee system, commonly known as VAR. The Beşiktaş boss argued that the technology exists precisely to assist officials in reviewing incidents that might be missed in real time.

While speaking after the match, Yalçın emphasized that the VAR team should have stepped in to ensure correct disciplinary action was taken. He stated that even if the central referee did not clearly witness the event on the pitch, the responsibility of the VAR officials is to review questionable situations and communicate when a potential error occurs.

According to him, the match could have taken a completely different direction if the correct decisions had been enforced earlier in the contest. The coach also referenced another incident involving a Galatasaray player, insisting that disciplinary action should have been taken much earlier.

“The main referee might not see it, but that’s exactly why VAR exists — to intervene,” Yalçın explained. “If the referee missed the situation, the officials monitoring the match should have alerted him. In my opinion, Sane should have been dismissed around the twentieth minute, and Osimhen should also have received a second yellow card. When those decisions are ignored, it becomes difficult to understand how the game is expected to proceed fairly.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the officiating, the match remained fiercely competitive from start to finish. Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who serves as captain of the Super Eagles, was also involved in the derby and delivered a solid performance for Beşiktaş during the tightly contested clash.

The defeat halted Beşiktaş’ recent positive momentum, while Galatasaray strengthened their position with another crucial victory in one of Turkey’s most historic football rivalries. Matches between the two Istanbul giants are often filled with passion, drama, and debate, and this latest encounter proved no exception.

Derby matches frequently come with intense scrutiny, especially when refereeing decisions play a significant role in shaping the final outcome. For supporters, analysts, and club officials alike, moments like these often continue to spark discussion long after the final whistle.