Former Super Eagles star explains the problem Victor Osimhen must fix

Former Nigeria international Peter Odemwingie has urged Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to exercise greater emotional control, warning that opponents are likely to deliberately provoke him because of the threat he poses on the pitch.

Odemwingie’s comments followed a heated exchange involving Osimhen during Galatasaray’s 2-1 pre-season defeat to Villarreal, where the Nigerian striker became involved in a confrontation with Villarreal defender Santiago Mourino.

The incident occurred after Mourino appeared to physically impede Osimhen’s movement inside the penalty area, prompting a frustrated reaction from the Galatasaray forward.

Speaking on Brila FM, Odemwingie acknowledged that players can lose their composure when opponents deliberately attempt to unsettle them.

However, the former Premier League striker believes Osimhen must recognise that his reputation makes him particularly vulnerable to such tactics.

He said, "As someone with experience on the pitch, I understand that reaction. Sometimes we get provoked, and it's even more annoying in a friendly game."

Despite understanding the circumstances, Odemwingie admitted that Osimhen's reaction concerned him because similar incidents have occurred on several occasions.

He added, "However, I don't support this behavior because my first thought was, 'Not again.' I've seen it quite a bit, and it's happening more often than it should. I think Osimhen needs to understand that he's a threat."