Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has given fans fresh hope over the return of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, as the striker battles to shake off a chin injury ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Liverpool.
The 26-year-old has been out of action since sustaining the knock while on international duty during Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda in Uyo earlier this month. The setback forced him to miss four matches — including the Super Eagles’ 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with South Africa and Galatasaray’s games against Konyaspor, Eyüpspor, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Speaking after Galatasaray’s 3-1 victory over Konyaspor, Buruk confirmed that Osimhen had resumed light training but admitted he was not yet fully fit.
“He took part in part of the training session. He has minor aches and pains. But if he can tolerate them and play, we hope he will be with the team in our next match,” the coach said.
Buruk added that the medical staff are taking a cautious approach, gradually easing the striker into full sessions. According to him, Osimhen has already managed 10 minutes of training, and there are strong expectations that he could feature against Alanyaspor before the all-important tie against Liverpool.
The Turkish champions are currently six points clear at the top of the league, and Buruk stressed that maintaining momentum is crucial as they prepare for a demanding run of fixtures.
“Even though we did not play well at times, we finished the first half 2-0 ahead. Extending the difference to six points gave us confidence. With matches against Alanyaspor, Liverpool and then Beşiktaş coming up, this morale is important,” he noted.
Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray permanently in the summer after an impressive loan spell, has already scored two goals in his first two starts. His return against Liverpool would be a major boost to Buruk’s plans for a stronger European campaign after last season’s Europa League disappointment.
“With the quality players we have, I believe we can perform even better in the coming matches. The most important thing now is to keep winning and ensure players like Victor recover in time for the big games,” Buruk added.
#VictorOsimhen #OsimhenInjuryUpdate #GalatasarayVsLiverpool #ChampionsLeague2025 #NaijaFootball #SuperEaglesStar #OsimhenComeback #LiverpoolVsGalatasaray #FootballNewsNigeria #NaijaSports
