Rafael Leão has expressed his appreciation to Victor Osimhen after the Nigerian striker allowed him to take a penalty during Galatasaray’s 4-0 win over Konyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday night, giving him the opportunity to register his first goal, reports Nigeriasoccernet.com.
Speaking to Galatasaray’s YouTube channel, Leão said he was grateful that Osimhen handed him the ball instead of taking the spot-kick himself, recognising how much the opportunity meant to his teammate.
"I'm grateful for the moment Osimhen passed me the ball. He knew I'd been working hard and was waiting for a chance to score. His second child was born last night, and I'd told him, 'You need to score two goals.
"He could have scored the second one himself, but he passed it to me. We have a great team. I'm really happy to have a teammate like that."
Osimhen also reflected on Galatasaray’s convincing performance, praising the team's attitude and determination throughout the encounter.
The Super Eagles striker said the players approached the match with the right mentality and were pleased to secure all three points against a Konyaspor side that was expected to provide a difficult test.
"I'm very happy with the performance and, most importantly, the victory. We showed character, hunger and determination from the first minute.
"Galatasaray are a special club, and playing in front of these incredible supporters gives me extra motivation. I always give everything for this badge.
"We knew Konyaspor wouldn’t make things easy for us, but we controlled the game, took our chances and showed what we’re capable of. This team has the quality to achieve something special, and we’re not stopping here. I want to keep scoring, keep winning and make these fans proud."