Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk says his side felt the absence of Victor Osimhen, even in victory, as they ground out a narrow 1-0 win over Kocaelispor.
Want our football coverage to show up first?
Add FootballInNigeria as a preferred source and our stories get a "Preferred" badge in your Google Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode results.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has admitted his side missed the presence of Victor Osimhen during their hard fought 1-0 home win over Kocaelispor, even as the club moved on with all three points.
Bardakci Settles A Tight Contest
Galatasaray secured the victory thanks to a decisive strike from centre back Abdulkerim Bardakci, who scored 19 minutes from time. Osimhen missed his second straight game for the club after picking up an injury during the 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir on September 4.
Buruk On The Nigerian’s Impact
Speaking to the club’s official website, Buruk stressed that having Osimhen available makes Galatasaray a different side, both in terms of the quality he adds up front and the psychological effect his presence has on opponents. He said simply, “We miss Osimhen,” while praising deputy striker Deniz, who he felt performed well despite missing two or three clear chances in his first outing in the role.
Buruk added that Galatasaray remain a strong squad even without Osimhen given the quality elsewhere in the team, but reiterated that a clinical presence in the penalty area, particularly for leading the press from the front, is something only the Nigerian currently provides.
