Victor Osimhen is back on grass and working with the physio team after surgery on a hand injury. Galatasaray say the Super Eagles striker is on course to rejoin full training on April 20.
Galatasaray have provided a positive update on Victor Osimhen’s injury recovery, with the Turkish giants confirming on Tuesday that the Super Eagles striker has begun running drills on the pitch with his physiotherapist. The 27-year-old underwent surgery after injuring his arm during the UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool last month, and the club’s official statement indicates his rehabilitation is tracking ahead of schedule, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng.
Victor Osimhen is doing running drills on the field with his physiotherapist, while Gabriel Sara has started training with the team,” read a statement from the club’s official X account. The update is significant because Galatasaray are deep in a title race that could go to the final day of the Turkish Super Lig season, with Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce both within striking distance at the top. Fans following the title race and looking for odds on Galatasaray’s remaining fixtures can check the Bet9ja’s YOHAIG welcome bonus for the best available welcome package before the season concludes.
April 20 Return on Track Ahead of Derby
The target return date of April 20 puts Osimhen in contention for what could be the most important fixture of Galatasaray’s season. The Intercontinental Derby against fierce rivals Fenerbahce is scheduled for April 27, just seven days after his expected return to full team training. Whether the club risks starting him in a derby of that magnitude one week after resuming training will be one of the more interesting tactical questions for Galatasaray’s coaching staff to navigate.
Osimhen’s absence has already been costly. Trabzonspor beat Galatasaray 2-1 last weekend, with Super Eagles teammate Paul Onuachu scoring in the opening three minutes, a result that tightened the title race considerably. The Cimbom’s attack clearly missed his movement and goal threat during that defeat, and with Paul Onuachu also scoring his first-ever goal against Galatasaray in that game, the pressure to have their own Nigerian star fit and firing has never been greater. Nigerian football fans eager to follow this run-in can use the Bet9ja’s YOHAIG code to find out everything they need to know about getting started with Nigeria’s top betting platform.
Season Stats Underline His Importance
Before the injury, Osimhen had contributed 19 goals and seven assists in 29 appearances across all competitions for Galatasaray. He helped the club become the first Turkish side to reach the Champions League Round of 16 in roughly a decade, a milestone that transformed perceptions of Turkish football in Europe. The hand injury came at a frustrating moment, just as Galatasaray’s season was entering its most critical phase.
From a Super Eagles perspective, Chelle and the national team technical staff will be monitoring the recovery timeline closely. With Nigeria’s June friendlies against Portugal and Poland now confirmed, Osimhen’s fitness between now and mid-June matters as much as his form in Istanbul. A fully fit Osimhen is one of the first names on the Super Eagles teamsheet when he returns, and the earlier he is back to full match sharpness, the better Nigeria’s chances of using those friendly fixtures as serious preparation for the 2030 World Cup cycle. Fans looking to back Nigeria’s key players in those friendlies can lock in the how to claim your Bet9ja bonus ahead of the June fixtures.
📌 Did You Know?
- Osimhen’s arm injury came from a challenge involving Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate during Galatasaray’s Champions League Round of 16 second leg in Istanbul.
- Galatasaray’s run to the Champions League Round of 16 earned the club an estimated €40 million in UEFA prize money, transforming their financial position heading into the summer transfer window.
- The Intercontinental Derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce is one of the ten most-watched club football fixtures in Europe, regularly drawing television audiences above 20 million across Turkey and the diaspora.
- Before Osimhen’s injury, Galatasaray had kept pace with Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce in a three-way title race that is now one of the most competitive in Turkish football history.
- Paul Onuachu’s goal against Galatasaray in the 3rd minute of last weekend’s game was the earliest goal Galatasaray had conceded all season, underlining how much Osimhen’s defensive absence unsettled the team’s shape.
- Gabriel Sara, the Brazilian midfielder mentioned in Galatasaray’s injury update, missed several weeks alongside Osimhen and his return to team training signals that the squad’s fitness problems are easing at a critical time.
- Should Osimhen return for the Fenerbahce derby on April 27, it would mark his first appearance in an Intercontinental Derby since joining Galatasaray last summer, a fixture that carries enormous significance for both sets of fans across the world.
