Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has expressed confidence that star striker Victor Osimhen will be ready for the club’s crucial Champions League clash against Liverpool on September 30, despite the forward still battling persistent ankle pain. The Turkish champions are eager for their talisman to return to action as they look to bounce back from a heavy defeat in their European opener.
Osimhen has been sidelined since suffering a ligament strain and internal bleeding while on international duty with Nigeria on September 6. The injury, sustained during a World Cup qualifier, forced him to miss several key matches, including Galatasaray’s 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt in their Champions League group stage opener.
According to Buruk, the 26-year-old forward has been gradually rejoining team training, but he is not yet fully recovered. “He has minor aches and pains. We expect him to be in the squad for the Alanyaspor match. We expect him to be on the pitch for the Liverpool match,” Buruk stated, offering the clearest indication yet of Osimhen’s anticipated return date.
Osimhen, who recently rejoined full team training for the first time since his injury, is considered a vital asset for Galatasaray’s ambitions.
The striker has already found the net twice in three appearances this season. His availability against a formidable Liverpool side, who are currently unbeaten in the Premier League, would be a major boost for the Turkish champions’ chances of securing a result in front of a packed RAMS Park.
With Turkish media reporting that Osimhen is set to undergo another MRI scan to assess his readiness, Galatasaray is taking a cautious approach. While he is likely to be named in the squad for the upcoming Alanyaspor match, he may be used as a substitute to avoid any risk of further injury before the high-stakes European showdown.
