Galatasaray winger Rafael Leão has opened up about the heartfelt conversation he shared with fellow teammate Victor Osimhen prior to stepping up to convert a penalty kick in their 4-0 triumph over Konyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday.
The encounter, which took place on Friday, saw both Leão and Osimhen find the back of the net to secure a resounding victory for the Istanbul-based giants. For Leão, who arrived at the club from AC Milan during the summer transfer window, the strike marked his debut goal in Galatasaray colors.
Addressing the press during his post-match interview, the Portugal international expressed immense gratitude to the Super Eagles forward for his selfless gesture on the pitch.
What led to the penalty handover?
"I’m very grateful to him [Osimhen]. He knows how much I struggled for that goal," Leão told reporters after the final whistle.
Elaborating further, the winger revealed the specific motivation he shared with his teammate, referencing the birth of Osimhen's child just a day prior. "Yesterday, Osimhen had his second child. So I told him this: you need to score 2 goals today. He scored the first one, but during the penalty, he gave the ball to me. We have a great group."
With domestic duties successfully handled, Leão and his Galatasaray teammates will quickly turn their attention to European competition. The Turkish side is scheduled to face German opponents VfB Stuttgart in their upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture on Tuesday, where Leão will aim to maintain his scoring momentum.