Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has come under scrutiny in Turkey following allegations that he deliberately picked up a yellow card to trigger a suspension ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Osimhen, who is expected to link up with the Nigeria national team in the coming days, went into Saturday’s Turkish Super Lig clash against Antalyaspor walking a disciplinary tightrope, having already been booked in previous matches against Beşiktaş, Kocaelispor and Fenerbahçe.
The Nigerian forward was shown a yellow card in the 85th minute of the Antalyaspor encounter, a booking that confirmed a one-match suspension. As a result, Osimhen will miss his club’s next league fixture against Kasımpaşa.
However, with the striker named in Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the AFCON tournament, the suspension will effectively be served during the international window, a development that has raised eyebrows in Turkish football circles.
According to Turkish outlet Gazete Gerçek, the incident could be escalated to the Turkish Football Federation’s Professional Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) for further investigation. Article 37 of the federation’s disciplinary code addresses situations where a player is suspected of deliberately receiving a yellow card.
If Osimhen is found guilty under Article 37, he could face an additional two-match suspension.
Should the Super Eagles progress deep into the AFCON tournament, the potential ban could see Osimhen miss several domestic fixtures, including matches against İstanbul Başakşehir, Kasımpaşa, Fethiyespor, Trabzonspor and Gaziantep FK.
As of now, neither Osimhen nor his club has officially responded to the allegations, with the situation closely monitored by both Turkish authorities and Nigerian football fans ahead of the continental showpiece.
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