Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen was at the centre of controversy during his side’s pre-season defeat to Villarreal after clashing with defender Santiago Mouriño.

The Turkish champions lost 2-1 to Villarreal on Saturday, with the confrontation between Osimhen and Mouriño becoming one of the major talking points from the encounter.

The incident occurred during the first half when Mouriño attempted to stop Osimhen from advancing into the penalty area.

The Uruguayan defender used his body to block the Nigerian striker, who reacted angrily and pushed him to the ground.

Players from both teams quickly intervened before the situation could escalate further. Referee Kadir Sağlam subsequently showed yellow cards to both players.

Villarreal manager Inigo Perez was critical of Osimhen’s reaction after the match, claiming the Nigerian appeared more interested in confrontation than football during the encounter.

Despite the controversy, Osimhen had made an important contribution to Galatasaray’s performance.

The striker scored in the fifth minute to bring his team level after Ayoze Perez had opened the scoring for Villarreal.

However, Georges Mikautadze restored Villarreal’s advantage before the interval, and Galatasaray failed to find another goal in the second half.

The result marked Galatasaray’s third defeat in five pre-season matches. Their preparation ended with one victory, one draw and three losses.

The Turkish champions will now turn their attention to competitive football, with their Super Lig title defence beginning on Friday against Corum. The club’s supporters will expect a stronger showing when the new campaign gets underway.