Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League clash against Sporting CP after suffering an adductor injury, dealing a major blow to the Turkish champions and raising fresh concerns over his availability for Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Osimhen sustained the injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 Turkish Super Lig victory over Istanbul Basaksehir on September 4. The 27-year-old opened the scoring with a spectacular strike but was forced off in the 33rd minute after experiencing discomfort in his groin area.
Subsequent medical examinations and an MRI scan at Acıbadem Hospital confirmed an advanced-moderate strain involving the right adductor muscle group, with bleeding and strain detected in the affected area.
Galatasaray confirmed that Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina had both sustained similar right adductor injuries and that treatment had commenced. The club did not initially provide a definite recovery period.
The injury ruled Osimhen out of Wednesday’s Champions League league-phase opener against Sporting CP at the Estádio José Alvalade. He was not included in Galatasaray’s travelling squad for the match, with Barış Alper Yılmaz leading the attack instead.
Without their leading striker, Galatasaray suffered a 3-1 defeat to Sporting CP in Lisbon. The Turkish side took an early lead but Sporting fought back to secure victory in the Champions League opener.
Osimhen’s absence is particularly significant given his strong start to the season. Before the injury, he had already scored five goals in his first three league appearances and had established himself as one of Galatasaray’s main attacking threats.
The setback has also created concern for the Super Eagles ahead of Nigeria’s opening matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
Nigeria are scheduled to host Madagascar on September 25 before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau on September 29. Reports following Galatasaray’s medical update indicate that Osimhen is expected to miss both fixtures if his recovery follows the projected timeline.
The development would be a significant setback for coach Eric Chelle, who relies heavily on Osimhen’s pace, physical strength, movement and goalscoring ability in the Super Eagles attack.
Osimhen’s injury comes at a particularly important period for Nigeria, with the team beginning another AFCON qualification campaign after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The striker has also been one of the country’s most prolific attacking players in recent years.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
