‘Osimhen needs Kasimpasa clash for rhythm’

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen. Photo: Super Eagles

Turkish football pundit Berk Göl has urged Galatasaray to give Victor Osimhen minutes against Kasımpaşa on Friday (today), insisting the match is important for the striker and the team as they build towards the Champions League clash with Barcelona.

Osimhen has not played since he was injured against İstanbul Başakşehir last month, and the Galatasaray target is for him to be ready to face Barcelona at Rams Park next week.

Göl warned the club not to look past the Kasımpaşa fixture.

“The Barcelona match is the target, which is very understandable, but the Kasımpaşa match is a tough one. Galatasaray will be very tired and will have missing players,” he said, as quoted by Habersarikirmizi.

“The team has also lost its rhythm, having not played a match for almost a month. The Kasımpaşa match should be taken seriously.”

The 27-year-old returned to training on Wednesday but did not take part in full team sessions, performing specialised routines before joining his team-mates. He may make the matchday squad, but a start looks unlikely.

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According to Yenicag Gazetesi, manager Okan Buruk plans to bring Osimhen on for about 30 minutes, which would allow him to build his workload while leaving four days to recover before Barcelona visit on Tuesday, October 13.

Osimhen was injured in the 33rd minute of Galatasaray’s 3-2 win over Başakşehir on September 4, after scoring the opening goal.

Tests revealed a muscle strain in the right adductor area. He missed the Champions League opener against Sporting CP, as well as league games against Kocaelispor and Trabzonspor.

He also withdrew from Eric Chelle’s squad for Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, and Taiwo Awoniyi replaced him. Osimhen spent part of the break in Lagos, receiving treatment under a physiotherapist.

Before the injury, Osimhen had scored six goals and provided two assists in his first four Süper Lig appearances. Without him, Galatasaray have slipped to second, behind Amed SK on goal difference.