By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has offered a fitness update on Victor Osimhen as the Turkish champions gear up for their UEFA Champions League showdown with Liverpool.
The Nigerian striker, sidelined with a knee injury sustained on international duty against South Africa, made his long-awaited return in Galatasaray’s weekend victory over Alanyaspor.
He came on in the 84th minute for Barış Alper Yılmaz, marking his first appearance since the setback.
“We wanted to play him for 10 minutes today. We wanted him to experience the pain. Sometimes there’s pain, and playing through it is important. He’s not 100% physically ready,” Buruk told reporters post-match.
The coach revealed Osimhen has had limited training since returning from international duty, but stressed the cameo was part of a deliberate plan to accelerate his return.
“We’ll assess his pain and physical condition before thinking about the next match,” he added.
Buruk admitted the tactical switch carried risks but underlined the need to reintegrate the striker: “I specifically brought Osimhen on so he could play 10 minutes, have a chance to play the next match, and contribute to us.”
Osimhen’s return is regarded as a major boost for Galatasaray ahead of Wednesday’s high-stakes clash with Liverpool, where his presence could prove pivotal in their European campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
