Victor Osimhen has found himself at the heart of a growing storm in Turkey, with accusations that the Super Eagles striker may have deliberately picked up a suspension to clear the way for his participation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Nigerian forward became a major talking point following his club’s Turkish Super Lig clash with Antalyaspor on Saturday. Already on a disciplinary warning after previous bookings against Beşiktaş, Kocaelispor and Fenerbahçe, Osimhen received another yellow card late in the contest, this time in the 85th minute.
That caution proved decisive. It took him beyond the allowable booking limit, triggering an automatic one-game ban that will rule him out of his club’s next league fixture against Kasımpaşa.
What has raised eyebrows, however, is the timing. Osimhen has been named in Nigeria’s 28-man squad for the upcoming AFCON, meaning the suspension is expected to be served during the international window. This would allow him to return to club duty without any lingering domestic punishment, a development that has fuelled speculation in the Turkish media.
According to reports from Turkish outlet Gazete Gerçek, the situation may not be settled yet. The Nigerian striker could still be summoned by the Turkish Football Federation’s Professional Football Disciplinary Committee (PFDK) for further scrutiny.
The report claims the incident may be reviewed under Article 37 of the federation’s disciplinary regulations, which deals with cases where players are suspected of intentionally forcing a yellow card for tactical reasons. If investigators conclude that Osimhen deliberately engineered the booking, the consequences could be more severe.
Under Article 37, a player found guilty of such conduct faces a minimum two-match suspension. That outcome would see Osimhen sidelined for several key fixtures, potentially including games against İstanbul Başakşehir, Trabzonspor, Gaziantep FK and Fethiyespor, depending on how long Nigeria’s AFCON campaign lasts.
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For now, Osimhen is preparing to report for international duty with the Super Eagles, while his club and fans anxiously await whether the disciplinary process in Turkey will escalate beyond the initial one-match ban.
