Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has provided a fitness update on Victor Osimhen ahead of his side’s UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool.

Osimhen made a substitute appearance in Galatasaray’s 1-0 victory over Alanyaspor on Friday night.

The 26-year-old sustained an injury on international duty with Nigeria three weeks ago which forced him to miss the club’s previous three games across all competitions.

Buruk On Osimhen

Buruk confirmed the striker is not physically ready for action.

“Today, our plan was to have Osimhen on the field for 10 minutes. It was essential for him to experience pushing through the pain, as that’s a critical aspect of the game,” Buruk was quoted by Turkish news outlet Reformhaber.

“However, I must emphasise that he is not 100% physically ready. Since returning from the national team, he hasn’t participated in any team training sessions. He played a short stint with us yesterday.

“We will closely evaluate his pain and physical condition before deciding on his involvement in the next match. While Barış may have preferred a winger when he came off, my decision to bring Osimhen on was strategic—he needed that 10 minutes to prepare for future contributions.”

By Adeboye Amosu