Galatasaray explain decision to start Osimhen on bench after injury return vs Kasimpasa
Nigeria star Victor Osimhen marked his return from injury with an assist as Galatasaray defeated Kasımpaşa 3-1 in the Turkish Süper Lig on Friday, with assistant coach İrfan Saraloğlu explaining why the Nigerian striker was introduced late in the game.
Osimhen came off the bench in the 77th minute, replacing Deniz Gül, and made an immediate impact as the Turkish champions pushed to secure all three points.
The Super Eagles striker had been sidelined for more than a month after sustaining an injury during Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir in September.
His return was carefully managed by the club’s technical staff, who opted against handing him a starting role as he continued his recovery.
Explaining the decision after the match, Saraloğlu said the club had to protect Osimhen and other players returning from injury and international duty.
“Osimhen just came back from injury, we had to protect him,” the assistant coach said, according to reports of his post-match comments.
Osimhen made his brief appearance count, helping Galatasaray turn a closely contested match into a convincing victory.
He contributed to the move that led to Barış Alper Yılmaz putting Galatasaray ahead in the 90th minute before providing the assist for Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina to seal the 3-1 win in stoppage time.
The Nigerian forward’s contribution was particularly encouraging after an extended spell on the sidelines, with Galatasaray keen to restore him to full fitness without risking a recurrence of the injury.
The gaffer also explained that Galatasaray’s balance had been affected after Lucas Torreira was sent off shortly after the hour mark, forcing the team to adjust its approach.
The victory provided a timely boost for Galatasaray ahead of their UEFA Champions League meeting with Barcelona, as Osimhen’s return offers another attacking option for the Turkish side.
Before his injury, the 27-year-old had made an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign, scoring six goals in four matches across his early appearances, according to AllNigeriaSoccer.
His assist against Kasımpaşa further underlined his importance to Galatasaray, who will hope he can build on the comeback as the season enters a demanding stretch of domestic and European fixtures.
Osimhen’s return for Nigeria is also encouraging news as the Super Eagles continue to monitor the fitness of key players ahead of their upcoming international assignments.
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