Osimhen eyes Champions League return after groin injury

Victor Osimhen is targeting a return for Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Sporting Lisbon after the Nigeria striker suffered a groin injury in Friday’s 3-2 win over Istanbul Başakşehir.

Osimhen opened the scoring with a superb finish into the top corner after receiving a pass from Lucas Torreira, but his evening was cut short when he was forced off in the 33rd minute with discomfort.

Galatasaray later announced that examinations showed strain and pain in the right adductor muscle group of the 27-year-old forward, prompting the club to commence treatment.

The Turkish champions also confirmed that Osimhen and teammate Mario Lemina were undergoing further medical assessments, including MRI scans, with the process expected to be completed on Sunday.

Despite the injury setback, Osimhen has sought to ease fears about his condition and expressed his desire to feature against Sporting Lisbon if cleared by the club’s medical and technical teams.

“I have nothing, I didn’t want to risk myself. If our coach deems it appropriate for the Sporting Lisbon match, I want to be on the field,” he said.

The Nigerian’s comments have raised hopes that the injury will not keep him out for an extended period, with Galatasaray keen to have their leading striker available for the Champions League encounter.

Osimhen’s recovery will also be closely followed by Nigeria, with Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle expected to assess his fitness ahead of the country’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.