Galatasaray is facing concerns over the fitness of star striker Victor Osimhen after he sustained an injury during the club’s 3-3 draw with Kasimpasa in a Turkish Super Lig match on Saturday. The 25-year-old Nigerian forward collided with Kasimpasa goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis early in the second half, signaling to be substituted due to discomfort.
Osimhen, who is on loan from Napoli, had an impressive start, scoring two goals within the first 28 minutes of the match. However, his early exit raised doubts about his availability for Galatasaray’s upcoming fixtures as well as Nigeria’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya in October.
Galatasaray’s Technical Director, Okan Buruk, expressed his frustration over the injury situation, blaming a congested fixture schedule for contributing to the strain on players. “One of our biggest fears was injury, and this happened with Osimhen,” Buruk told the club’s media team. “We played four matches in a row, and another match was added three days later. The rotations we made were due to the fear of injury.”
Despite Osimhen assuring fans after the game that his injury was not serious, there remains concern over his fitness for Nigeria’s double-header against Libya on October 11 and 15. Osimhen, who has scored 22 goals in 35 appearances for the Super Eagles, is a key player for interim coach Austin Eguavoen, who will be hoping to have the striker lead the line in those critical AFCON qualifiers.
