Osayi-Samuel defends Fenerbahce teammates against violent pitch invaders

Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel, who plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe, was spotted knocking a furious pitch invader to the ground during a wild on-field melee on Sunday night.

Tensions rose after the conclusion of Fenerbahce’s 3-2 victory over Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super League.

Former Manchester United midfielder Fred scored twice in the first half, and Fenerbahce won with a late 87th-minute goal from Michy Batshuayi.

Fenerbahce players had congregated in the centre of the pitch to celebrate their triumph when a lone Trabzonspor fan appeared to harass them.

A security squad quickly captured the person, who was wearing a mask.

As the crisis progressed, an increasing number of Trabzonspor supporters managed to evade the security personnel, making it harder to keep control.

Osayi-Samuel, 26, was caught on video in the midst of the chaos.

A popular social media video showed the Nigerian chasing a fan and punching him in the face, knocking the masked supporter to the ground.

Another film shows Osayi-Samuel cheering as he notices a pitch invader.

In the video, he confronts the assailant, defending himself against a punch and retaliating with one of his own until a security man quickly subdues the unruly fan.

As the situation escalated, Osayi-Samuel was held back by his teammates and security.

One supporter was spotted carrying a corner flag as a potential weapon.

According to Mirror UK, the mood turned heated when some home fans started hurling things onto the pitch, aiming at players, coaches, and referees

A handful of Fenerbahce players and staff had hurriedly entered the tunnel for protection.

Osayi-Samuel joined Fenerbahce from QPR in 2021, following an early career with Blackpool.

The Nigerian international has made 126 appearances for the Turkish squad.