Victor Osimhen faces up to three weeks out with a right adductor strain, ruling him out of Galatasaray’s Champions League opener and putting his Super Eagles AFCON qualifier involvement in doubt.
Victor Osimhen’s night in Europe will have to wait. Galatasaray have confirmed their Nigerian striker will miss Wednesday’s Champions League opener against Sporting CP after picking up a right adductor strain, and the timing could not be worse for Super Eagles fans eyeing this month’s AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Osimhen was forced off before half-time during Galatasaray’s league win away to Basaksehir on Friday, clutching his groin area after a sudden movement chasing a ball into the channel. Club medical staff later confirmed the diagnosis as an advanced-moderate adductor strain — serious enough to need a proper recovery window rather than a quick turnaround.
As a result, Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has already ruled him out of the trip to face Sporting in Group play, describing the injury as one that needs “patience, not risk.” That is a sensible line from a club who have leaned heavily on Osimhen’s goals since he arrived in Turkey.
Losing your leading striker before a Champions League opener is never ideal. However, Galatasaray do have alternatives in the squad, even if none carry Osimhen’s goal threat. Buruk will likely lean on a more compact, counter-attacking setup against Sporting rather than try to replicate what Osimhen brings as a focal point.
For Nigerian fans following his club career closely, this is the frustrating part of a striker’s rhythm being interrupted right as European competition begins. Meanwhile, the club has been careful not to attach an exact return date beyond a rough two-to-three-week estimate.
Here’s where it gets tense for Nigeria. The Super Eagles open their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign at home to Madagascar on 23 September, with a trip to face Guinea-Bissau to follow. Reports from Turkey suggest Osimhen is now a doubt for at least the first of those two fixtures, given the injury’s timeline overlaps directly with the September international window.
That said, adductor strains can heal faster or slower than the initial estimate depending on how the player responds to treatment. Eric Chelle’s coaching staff will be in regular contact with Galatasaray’s medical team over the next week to get a clearer picture before naming his squad.
If Osimhen is unavailable, it would be a blow to a Nigeria squad that is still finding its attacking identity heading into a qualifying group most expect them to top comfortably on paper — though as we’ve seen with other African qualifiers, nothing should be taken for granted. For background on the group Nigeria have been drawn into, see the Premier League’s official fixtures hub for how the September international window affects clubs across Europe.
Despite the setback, it has been a productive start to the campaign for Osimhen at Galatasaray, who moved for him on a permanent deal after his release-clause saga at Napoli. His link-up play and movement in behind have already made him a fan favourite in Istanbul, which is exactly why this injury news has landed hard with supporters on both sides — Turkish and Nigerian.
For a wider look at how Nigeria’s stars are faring across Europe this season, see our roundup of Nigerians in UEFA competitions.
For the full Group L schedule, read our AFCON 2027 qualifiers fixtures guide.
Update: Galatasaray have since confirmed Osimhen will miss both qualifiers, with a return now targeted for mid-October — see our full timeline update.
An advanced-moderate right adductor (groin) strain, picked up during Galatasaray’s league win over Basaksehir.
No. Galatasaray have already ruled him out of the opener, with an expected return window of two to three weeks.
It’s a genuine doubt. The injury timeline overlaps with the September international window, though a final call will depend on his recovery progress over the coming days.
Nigeria host Madagascar on 23 September before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau, as confirmed fixtures in Group qualifying.
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