Osimhen nears Galatasaray return ahead of Barcelona Champions League clash

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is edging closer to a return for Galatasaray after making progress in his recovery from a right adductor injury.

The 27-year-old forward has resumed partial team training as Galatasaray prepare to face Kasımpaşa in the Turkish Süper Lig on Friday, October 9. The club confirmed on Tuesday that Osimhen participated in part of the team’s training session before continuing with an individual programme.

Osimhen has been sidelined since September 4, when he was forced off in the 33rd minute of Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir after experiencing discomfort in his right groin.

Medical examinations subsequently showed a moderate-to-advanced strain with bleeding in the right adductor muscle group. The injury ruled him out of Galatasaray’s Champions League opener against Sporting CP as well as league matches against Kocaelispor and Trabzonspor.

Reports from Turkey indicate that Galatasaray are considering a carefully managed return against Kasımpaşa rather than immediately restoring Osimhen to the starting lineup. He could be introduced for a limited period to assess his fitness and match sharpness before the club’s more demanding Champions League assignment.

Galatasaray will host Barcelona on Tuesday, October 13, just four days after the Kasımpaşa fixture. The Spanish giants are among Galatasaray’s opponents in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, according to the Turkish club’s official schedule.

Osimhen’s return would provide a significant attacking boost for Galatasaray. Before his injury, the Nigerian had scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four Süper Lig appearances of the season.

The striker also missed Nigeria’s recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau after Galatasaray’s medical team advised that he continue his rehabilitation rather than join the national team. Taiwo Awoniyi was subsequently brought into Nigeria’s squad as his replacement.

For Galatasaray, the Kasımpaşa match could provide an opportunity to gradually reintroduce Osimhen to competitive football before the Barcelona encounter. However, his participation and playing time will depend on his fitness assessment ahead of Friday’s match.

Osimhen’s availability would be closely watched in Nigeria as well, given his importance to the Super Eagles and his role as one of the country’s leading forwards.