Galatasaray trusts Osimhen to face Barça

Victor Osimhen, the great star of Galatasaray, has returned to training after a month-long absence due to an adductor injury, and the club hopes he can be available for the clash against Barça next Tuesday at 21:00 in Istanbul, the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Osimhen's injury recovery

The Nigerian striker had been out since September 4 and has taken part partially in Wednesday's session with the squad. The club doctor, Yener Ince, said the treatment is progressing well, although the injury involved a serious hemorrhage and a hematoma that has been drained using a different method. “The player feels relieved, but we do not want to take any risks,” Ince warned, adding that the final decision will depend on the results of medical tests.

Osimhen was also not called up by his national team for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which suggests that the national coaching staff is also assessing his physical condition. His limited participation in Wednesday's session indicates that he has not yet regained the full condition required by the level of the Champions League.

Galatasaray's position in the League and upcoming opponents

In the Turkish League, Galatasaray sits in second place with 13 points out of a possible 18, level with leaders Amed SK. Next Friday at 19:00 the team will play at home against Kasimpasa, a match that the doctor is also monitoring cautiously to avoid overloading the striker.

Coach Okan Buruk, who will face Barça's next European opponent, also has the return of right‑back Wilfried Singo and midfielder Mario Lemina, strengthening his squad for international commitments.

In their group‑stage debut, the Turkish champions lost 3‑1 to Sporting Lisbon at the José Alvalade Stadium, a venue that Barça will visit on the penultimate matchday on January 20. In that game, Osimhen did not play, although he recalled his previous encounter with Barça while at Napoli in the round of 16 of 2023‑24 (1‑1) on Italian soil.

A photo from the training session shows Sergi Solé capturing Victor Osimhen before the start of the UEFA Champions League 2026‑27, while Luis Suárez celebrated a Sporting‑Galatasaray goal in the same competition.