Super Eagles right-back Bright Osayi-Samuel and some of his Fenerbahce teammates were attacked by the home fans after their dramatic 3-2 win over arch rivals Trabzonspor on Sunday night.
The ugly scenes spilled out after the referee's final whistle in the game with Trabzonspor supporters invading the pitch and fighting Fenerbahce players over the loss at home.
The Nigerian defender punched a pitch invader to the ground during the crazy on-pitch brawl that broke out as he tried to defend himself and his teammates against a masked invader.
Former Manchester United midfielder Fred scored a first-half double before Trabzonspor drew level through goals from Enis Bardhi and Trezeguet. However, ex-Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi won the match for Fenerbahce in the 87th minute.
Bright Osayi-Samuel was attacked by an opposition fan in Fenerbahce's dramatic win over rivals Trabzonspor tonight.
He decided to defend himself 😬 pic.twitter.com/vO0fSq4WGH
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) March 17, 2024
How the ugly fight that involved Bright Osayi-Samuel started
Tensions began when the home supporters threw objects onto the field, targeting players, coaches and the referees as the clash tilted down to the final whistle.
At the blast of the final whistle, Fenerbahce’s players gathered around the centre circle to celebrate their massive win, that's how fans of the home team broke onto the pitch to face-off against them.
Within seconds, more and more Trabzonspor fans made it through the security staff, who struggled to manage the situation quickly.
Viral footage on social media showed the 26-year-old Super Eagles player at the centre of the brawl.
One viral video in the social media space was showing Bright Osayi-Samuel chasing a fan before delivering a powerful punch to the face, leaving the masked Trabzonspor supporter falling down to the ground.
Photos: Super Eagles Defender Bright Osayi-Samuel defends himself from an opposition fan in Fenerbahce's dramatic win over rivals Trabzonspor last night.
Credit: X // Pooja pic.twitter.com/0DKgfOwI06
— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) March 18, 2024
In a different video clip, Osayi-Samuel at first spotted the pitch invader while jumping up and down in celebration.
He was later seen encountering the thug, whilst delivering a punch of his own at the angry pitch invader before a security guard slammed the fan in question to the turf.
Osayi-Samuel had to be restrained by team-mates and the security personnel while the situation spilled over with one particular fan seen brandishing the corner flag pole as a weapon.
In another video, Ex-Chelsea star Batshuayi was seen making his way slowly towards the tunnel. But after spotting a fan running in his direction, the Belgian performed a spinning back kick, which appeared to make contact with the individual's head.
Despite all the on-pitch fights, Fenerbahce players appeared to be all smiles in the dressing room as they posed for a team photo.
The victory over rivals Trabzonspor ensured that Ismail Kartal's side remained two points behind league leaders Galatasaray who sit top of the standings on 81 points.
Actions will resume in the Turkish Super League after the international break with hopes that the perpetrators of the ugly scenes serve the punishment they deserve.
Social media reactions to Bright Osayi-Samuel's punch on the pitch invader
Several football fans reacted to the viral clips of Bright Osayi-Samuel delivering a well-timed blow to a masked pitch invader who ran to attack him and his teammates.
Below are some of the reaction tweets taken from X(formerly Twitter).
“Bright Osayi-Samuel has become a hero in the eyes of Fenerbahce fans. They stayed outside the stadium to chant his name before he left the stadium last night”, said a user with the name E.
Another reaction that evokes laughter from Marrakesh said “Bright Osayi-Samuel should find another game in Rugby”.
Sports Radio Brila FM posted “MON – Bright Osayi-Samuel, Member of the Niger”. MON is a national award given to Nigerians who have made the country proud.
Blaqish AFC wrote: “Bright Osayi-Samuel was attacked by an opposition fan in Fenerbahce's dramatic win over rivals Trabzonspor. He stood up, defended himself and dealt with the angry fan”.
Next up for Bright Osayi-Samuel
With the international window set to begin this week, Osayi-Samuel will join the Super Eagles 26-man squad as they camp in Morocco ahead of Nigeria's two friendly games.
Nigeria is billed to take on the Black Stars of Ghana next Friday, March 22, before squaring off against the Eagles of Mali four days later.
Both games will be played at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.
The clash against Ghana will see the Super Eagles take to the field for the first time since their 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final loss to Ivory Coast in February.
Ex-international Finidi George will be in charge of the team in those two games as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) continue to source for a new Super Eagles coach.
This article was most recently revised and updated 11 months ago