Turkish side Galatasaray are sweating over the fitness of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as they prepare for the league showdown with eternal rivals Beşiktaş in the Istanbul derby.
The Nigerian, on loan from Italian side Napoli, hobbled off the pitch in the team's 3-3 draw with Kasımpaşa after scoring twice.
He then missed the next game in the Europa League against RFS, which Galatasaray drew 2-2, and also missed the 1-0 win over Alanyaspor.
Osimhen’s injury was not deemed serious initially, but after further tests, it was revealed that he will miss about a month of football.
Galatasaray are working around the clock to get him fit for their clash with another Turkish giant on 28th October, and have him training separately in preparation.
Though there are two other games before then (against Antalyaspor in the league and Elfsborg in the Europa League), Galatasaray are working on a timeline to see the 25-year-old return to action against Beşiktaş in the derby.
How important is Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray?
Since his loan move to Galatasaray, Osimhen has quickly established himself as one of Galatasaray’s most trusted forwards.
His goal-scoring ability and physical presence up front have made him a key figure in the team’s attack in the short time he’s been with them.
In a match as pivotal as the Beşiktaş derby, having a player of Osimhen’s calibre could make all the difference, hence the medical team is doing all they can to accelerate his recovery.
With the team aiming to extend their lead at the top of the table, the prospect of having their top striker back for such a crucial game, especially one against rivals Beşiktaş, is a major boost.
After eight rounds of games in the Turkish Süper Lig, Galatasaray are top of the table with 22 points, five ahead of third-placed Beşiktaş, who have a game in hand.
The injury forced Osimhen out of Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations double-header against Libya, and he was sorely missed in the Super Eagles' slim 1-0 win over Libya on Friday.
