Victor Osimhen’s return to action has been delayed, with Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk confirming the Nigerian striker is yet to reach full fitness.
The 27-year-old picked up an injury while on international duty with Nigeria two weeks ago and has since been sidelined.
Osimhen missed Galatasaray’s 2-0 weekend win over Eyupspor and will also sit out their UEFA Champions League clash against Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.
Although there were hopes of including him, Buruk admitted Osimhen’s condition was not at the required level.
“As you know, Osimhen was injured. We couldn’t play him in the league match, but we had hopes of at least making it to this match,” Buruk said via the club’s official website.
Buruk prioritises player’s health over risking fitness
The Galatasaray boss stressed that Osimhen trained in recent days but did not feel ready for competitive action.
“The key here was whether he could play with his net. He tried in training over the last two days, but the feedback we received from him was that he wasn’t fit to play at the moment.”
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Buruk explained that both the medical team and the player agreed on caution.
“Our players’ health is paramount to us. Every player, given the opportunity, will play regardless of the circumstances,” he added.
The coach praised Osimhen’s fighting spirit but made clear that forcing him back would not help the team.
“Osimhen has that kind of character; but playing with him through pain and unable to give his full potential will certainly benefit neither him nor us.”
Although the striker is absent, Buruk remained confident in his squad’s attacking depth.
“We didn’t include him in the squad based on his feedback, but of course, we have very important players. We have very important players in the attacking line. We will strive to do our best together tomorrow.”
For now, Galatasaray supporters must wait for the Nigerian forward’s full recovery, with no official timeline yet provided.
Tags: Okan Buruk, Galatasaray, Victor Osimhen, #UCL, Eintracht Frankfurt.
