Victor Osimhen Wins Second Turkish Super Lig Title With Galatasaray as Chidozie Awaziem Suffers Relegation With Nantes

It was a weekend of sharply contrasting fortunes for Nigerian footballers across Europe’s top leagues, with Victor Osimhen‘s title-winning heroics in Istanbul sitting at one end of the emotional spectrum and Chidozie Awaziem’s relegation despair in France at the other.

Osimhen delivered a defining performance on Friday as Galatasaray defeated Antalyaspor 4-2 in Istanbul, with the Super Eagles talisman netting a brace to seal the Turkish Super Lig title. The victory confirmed Galatasaray’s 26th league championship in the club’s history and Osimhen’s second title with the Istanbul giants, having also won the Super Lig in the 2024/25 season. The Nigerian forward, who joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli before making the move permanent, has now established himself as one of the most impactful strikers in Turkish football history.

While Osimhen celebrated in Istanbul, the mood was far more subdued in France. FC Nantes were officially relegated to Ligue 2 following a 1-0 defeat to Lens, a result that ended the club’s 13-season run in the French top flight. Chidozie Awaziem, the Super Eagles centre-back, was part of a Nantes side that could not avoid the drop despite a gruelling campaign. The relegation represents a significant blow for Awaziem, whose immediate future at the club now hangs in uncertainty given the financial and competitive implications of playing second-tier French football.

In England, the EFL Championship Playoffs got underway with Femi Azeez featuring prominently for Millwall in a 0-0 first-leg draw. Azeez was a persistent attacking threat throughout the match, though neither side could find the decisive goal. Fellow Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi did not feature for Hull City in the same fixture, remaining unused on the bench for the entire first leg.

The Premier League also provided drama, with Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze both starting for Fulham against Bournemouth. The match descended into chaos after both teams were reduced to 10 men, with a long-range strike from Rayan ultimately settling the contest 1-0 in Bournemouth’s favour — a damaging result for Fulham at their home ground.

Spain produced some of the most compelling storylines of the weekend, with Nigerian players playing decisive late roles in La Liga. Akor Adams came off the Sevilla bench to score a 91st-minute winner against Espanyol, completing a 2-1 victory that lifted Sevilla three points clear of the relegation zone. Chidera Ejuke had been on the pitch for the full 90 minutes prior to Adams’ intervention, with both Nigerians proving instrumental in a vital three points for the Andalusian club.

Sadiq Umar also delivered a match-winning impact for Valencia, entering as a second-half substitute and scoring the decisive goal in an away win over Athletic Bilbao — a result that will have significant implications in the battle to avoid relegation from La Liga.

Ademola Lookman was arguably the most creative performer of the weekend despite ending up on the losing side. The Atletico Madrid winger created four major chances and struck the woodwork during a 60-minute appearance, but his efforts could not prevent a 1-0 home defeat for Diego Simeone’s side.

Elsewhere, Chibuike Nwaiwu contributed defensively as Trabzonspor secured a 2-1 away win over Besiktas in Turkey, with Tony Nwakaeme and Paul Onuachu — who came on in the 13th minute — also featuring. Wilfred Ndidi remained an unused substitute in the same match. In Italy’s Serie B, David Okereke scored a standout solo goal to help Cremonese to a dominant win over Pisa SC, where Nigerian youngster Ebenezer Akinsanmiro also featured. In Sweden, Super Eagles target Zadok Yohanna registered an assist for AIK, though his side lost to Djurgardens despite his contribution.