Galatasaray’s title push just got a major boost, with coach Okan Buruk hinting that Victor Osimhen could be back on the pitch sooner than the April 26 Intercontinental Derby had suggested.
Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has raised hopes that Victor Osimhen may return from his arm injury earlier than the club’s original timeline indicated. The Super Eagles striker, who sustained the injury in a UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool last month, had been pencilled in for a return around the high-stakes Intercontinental Derby against Fenerbahce on April 26. But Buruk’s latest update suggests that timeline could be brought forward.
Osimhen has started running again,” Buruk told reporters. “It will be difficult for him to return this weekend, but I think he could be included in the squad for the Genclerbirligi match we will play the following week if conditions are right. We might even skip that and consider using him in the Fenerbahce match instead.” Nigerian fans following Osimhen’s return can find the YOHAIG promo code on Bet9ja to back Galatasaray in the title run-in.
The Title Race Context
Osimhen’s potential return comes at a pivotal moment in the Turkish Super Lig. Galatasaray beat Goztepe 3-1 on Wednesday to move four points clear of both Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor in what has become a three-way title race. The gap is meaningful but not decisive, with several games remaining and the Fenerbahce derby on April 26 capable of swinging the title in any direction.
Without Osimhen, Galatasaray lost the UCL first leg against Trabzonspor’s Nigerian duo of Paul Onuachu and Chibuike Nwaiwu, a result that demonstrated how much his absence costs them in terms of attacking threat. With him back, Galatasaray have the most feared striker in the league and an opponent that Fenerbahce have struggled to contain all season. Fans who want to back the Super Lig title race can pick up the Bet9ja booking code for easy access on the platform.
What His Return Means for the Super Eagles
For Nigeria, Osimhen finishing the season strongly at Galatasaray matters enormously. With the Super Eagles absent from the 2026 World Cup and AFCON 2027 qualifying on the horizon, Osimhen’s form and fitness heading into the summer will shape how coach Eric Chelle rebuilds the national team around his most dangerous player.
Osimhen has been Galatasaray’s standout performer since his four-year move from Napoli last summer. His goal record and physical presence in the Super Lig have drawn comparisons to the best strikers in European football, and a title medal with the Istanbul giants would cap a remarkable personal season despite the injury interruption. If Buruk’s cautious optimism translates into a return before the Fenerbahce derby, Nigeria’s No.9 could yet play the defining role in one of Europe’s most dramatic title races. Supporters can use the latest Bet9ja promo code to follow the action on Bet9ja this weekend.
📌 Did You Know?
- Victor Osimhen joined Galatasaray on a four-year deal from Napoli last summer after the Turkish champions paid his €75 million release clause, making him one of the most expensive signings in Turkish Super Lig history.
- Galatasaray’s Intercontinental Derby against Fenerbahce on April 26 is one of the most-watched club football matches on the continent, regularly drawing television audiences of over 50 million across Turkey and the wider Turkish diaspora in Europe.
- Osimhen sustained his arm injury in the UEFA Champions League group stage against Liverpool, a competition Galatasaray qualified for on the back of their Super Lig title triumph last season, their first Champions League participation in over a decade.
- Paul Onuachu of Trabzonspor became the first player to score against all three of Turkey’s biggest clubs, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, in the same season when he netted against Galatasaray in the 2-1 win on April 4. It was his 22nd league goal of the campaign.
- Okan Buruk managed Galatasaray to the Super Lig title last season and was retained despite significant interest from European clubs, reflecting the trust the club placed in his tactical system. His ability to manage Osimhen’s fitness carefully in the final weeks could prove the difference in the title race.
- Galatasaray have won the Turkish Super Lig more times than any other club in the country’s football history, with their most recent run of dominance coming under coaches who built systems around central striker play, a profile that suits Osimhen’s game perfectly.
- Victor Osimhen became only the second Nigerian after Austin Jay-Jay Okocha to win consecutive league titles with clubs in different countries, having won Serie A with Napoli in 2023 and now targeting the Super Lig crown with Galatasaray in 2025-26.
