Galatasaray Lose Osimhen for Sporting CP Champions League Clash
Galatasaray will be without Victor Osimhen for two to three weeks after tests confirmed a right adductor injury, removing the Nigeria striker from Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League visit to Sporting CP and likely from his country’s opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures.
Why Osimhen’s absence matters
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Injury | Advanced-moderate strain in the right adductor |
| Expected absence | Two to three weeks |
| Injury match | İstanbul Basaksehir 2-3 Galatasaray, Friday |
| Galatasaray record this season | Six Super Lig goals and two assists in four appearances |
| Next missed club fixture | Sporting CP v Galatasaray, September 9 |
The Turkish champions said scans and further assessments at Acıbadem Hospital identified bleeding and a strain in Osimhen’s groin muscle group. The 27-year-old had initially been reported to have felt pain in the area, with the subsequent examinations establishing the diagnosis.
Osimhen was injured during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory at İstanbul Basaksehir. He had put the visitors ahead in the 16th minute, extending an exceptional opening to the domestic campaign, but indicated that he could not continue and was replaced by Barış Alper Yılmaz after 33 minutes.
Galatasaray twice lost their advantage before Gabriel Sara struck in the 90th minute to secure the points. The result maintained the club’s league momentum, but the loss of their leading forward comes immediately before the start of their Champions League league-phase schedule.
Osimhen is not expected to feature in Lisbon against Sporting, although the projected recovery period could allow him to return for Galatasaray’s next European match, when Barcelona travel to Istanbul on October 13.
Nigeria face an early qualifying problem
Nigeria are also set to begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign without their principal centre-forward. Eric Chelle’s side host Madagascar on September 25 and then play Guinea-Bissau away four days later, with both matches falling within Osimhen’s expected lay-off.
The concern has increased after Trabzonspor forward Paul Onuachu was forced off during Sunday’s 5-0 win over Genclerbirligi. Chelle could therefore be deprived of two established attacking options at the beginning of a campaign carrying added significance after Nigeria’s unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria have been placed in Group L with Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and co-hosts Tanzania. Tanzania’s host status brings automatic qualification, meaning only the best-placed side among the remaining teams is assured of progressing from the group.
Osimhen’s injury also pauses his pursuit of Nigeria’s all-time scoring record. Rashidi Yekini remains top of the country’s list with 37 goals from 58 appearances between 1984 and 1998. Osimhen is two goals short after scoring eight times in seven Nigeria outings during 2026, most recently in the 2-0 AFCON quarter-final win against Algeria in January.
