Victor Osimhen was withdrawn injured during Galatasaray’s win over Basaksehir, adding a fourth fitness concern to Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles squad before the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Victor Osimhen’s fast start to the season hit a snag on Friday. The Nigeria captain was forced off with a groin problem during Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Istanbul Basaksehir, and the timing could hardly be worse — the Super Eagles open their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign in under three weeks.
Osimhen opened the scoring in the 16th minute before discomfort in his right adductor forced Galatasaray to withdraw him in the 33rd minute, with Baris Alper Yilmaz coming on in his place. Notably, Legit.ng reports the striker walked out of the stadium unassisted afterwards, which eased some early fears. Even so, a player who had scored six goals and added two assists in four league games this season now faces an anxious wait on scans.
According to Pulse Sports Nigeria’s report on Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk’s press conference, advanced examinations including an MRI were carried out after strain and pain were detected in the groin muscle group. Buruk struck a cautiously optimistic tone, noting that groin issues typically heal faster than hamstring injuries.
That said, the range of outcomes is wide. According to a Turkish doctor’s estimate reported by Legit.ng, the best-case scenario is a one-to-two week recovery, while the worst case — a ligament tear — could sideline Osimhen for three to four months. Consequently, Galatasaray are unlikely to rush him back for their Champions League opener against Sporting Lisbon, let alone risk him prematurely.
For Nigerian fans, the more pressing question is what this means for the Super Eagles. Eric Chelle’s side host Madagascar in Uyo on 25 September before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau on 29 September, in the opening two rounds of a Group L campaign that also includes Tanzania. Osimhen was already pencilled in as a returning first-choice name for those fixtures after sitting out since the 2025 AFCON, and a lengthy layoff would be a serious blow to Chelle’s attacking options.
Osimhen now becomes the fourth Super Eagles player carrying a fitness concern into this qualifying window. We previously covered Christantus Uche’s injury blow and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s thigh strain, both picked up in the opening weeks of the European season. Losing his first-choice striker on top of that midfield disruption would leave Chelle with some difficult calls to make once his squad assembles.
Even so, Nigeria’s qualifier fixtures were only confirmed this week, and Chelle isn’t due to name his final squad until closer to the September window. That gives Osimhen — and Galatasaray’s medical staff — a small but meaningful buffer before any hard decision needs to be made.
Osimhen has been Nigeria’s talisman for years, and his availability tends to shape how the Super Eagles set up going forward. Our editorial team will keep tracking his recovery through the international break, updating this story as Galatasaray release further medical bulletins or Chelle confirms his squad list.
How bad is Victor Osimhen’s injury?
It’s currently being described as a strain in the right adductor (groin) muscle group. Scans are still being assessed, and reports suggest recovery could range from one to two weeks in a best-case scenario to three to four months if it turns out to be a ligament tear.
Will Osimhen be fit for Nigeria vs Madagascar?
It’s too early to say. Nigeria host Madagascar in Uyo on 25 September, roughly three weeks after the injury. A quick recovery would leave him tight for match fitness; a worse diagnosis would rule him out entirely.
What is Nigeria’s AFCON 2027 qualifying group?
The Super Eagles are in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, with the opening two matchdays against Madagascar (home) and Guinea-Bissau (away) in September.
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