Galatasaray assess Osimhen ahead of UCL duel against Barcelona

• By Tunde Liadi

Galatasaray are assessing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen as he works towards the Champions League home tie against Barcelona on Tuesday, 13 October, after the 27-year-old returned to partial team training on Wednesday.

A possible appearance in Friday’s Süper Lig match against Kasımpaşa at Rams Park depends on the medical staff’s assessment. Neither his involvement on 9 October nor against Barcelona four days later has been confirmed. UEFA lists the Barcelona fixture for 13 October.

Osimhen is back in Istanbul and has resumed individual conditioning. He took part in the warm-up, passing drills and early team exercises at the Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities before continuing an individual programme under the club’s medical staff.

According to Turkish reports,  head coach Okan Buruk could introduce him for around 30 minutes rather than start him. The cautious approach would let Galatasaray gauge his match fitness and limit his workload before the Barcelona game.

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Osimhen has been out since suffering a right adductor injury in Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over İstanbul Başakşehir on 4 September. He scored in the match but went off in the 33rd minute after feeling discomfort. Medical examinations reportedly revealed an advanced-moderate strain with bleeding in the right adductor muscle group.

He missed the Super Eagles’ 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after Galatasaray’s medical team advised against him joining the squad. He rehabilitated in Lagos during the international break, and Taiwo Awoniyi replaced him. The Eagles lost 3-0 in Bissau.

Osimhen also sat out Galatasaray’s Champions League opener against Sporting CP and Süper Lig games against Kocaelispor and Trabzonspor.

Before the injury, he had scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four Süper Lig appearances this season.

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