Osimhen to be fit for Fenerbahçe derby, says Buruk

Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has assured that  Victor Osimhen will be ready for next Saturday's Fenerbahçe derby, after the Nigeria international  striker was left out of the matchday squad during Saturday's Süper Lig victory over Gençlerbirliği in Ankara.

Although Osimhen travelled with the team, he did not feature in the match. The 27-year-old had been sidelined after sustaining an arm injury during Galatasaray's UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool last month and underwent successful surgery at the Maslak Acıbadem Hospital in Istanbul.

Buruk said the forward was still experiencing physical fatigue following his return to training, and the club opted to manage his workload carefully to avoid any setbacks.

"Osimhen participated in parts of training, but afterwards he felt some fatigue," Buruk told Sporx. "After discussions with Coach Yener and Osimhen himself, we decided it was best not to include him in the squad this week. We'll assess him ahead of the next cup game and see how many minutes he can handle. He should, of course, be ready for the Fenerbahçe match."

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In the five league matches Osimhen has missed, Galatasaray managed just one victory, dropping ten crucial points in the title race, with defeats to Trabzonspor and Konyaspor and draws against Gaziantep FK and Kocaelispor.

Despite the slump, Galatasaray maintain a narrow lead at the top of the table with just five matches remaining.

Before his injury, Osimhen had been in excellent form, scoring 19 goals and providing seven assists in 29 appearances across all competitions.

 His return would give Buruk a potent option alongside Mauro Icardi, who has led the line during the Nigerian's absence.

The derby scheduled for 26 April, carries enormous weight, as Galatasaray could move decisively closer to another league title with a positive result.