Galatasaray announces Osimhen's comeback ahead of high-stakes Intercontinental showdown

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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is set to return from injury in time for one of the biggest fixtures in Turkish football, with Galatasaray reporter Ali Naci Küçük confirming the Nigerian will be fit for the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahçe on April 26, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

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Osimhen has been sidelined since sustaining a hand injury during Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg defeat to Liverpool earlier this month.

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He subsequently underwent surgery at the Maslak Acıbadem Hospital in Istanbul on Monday, with the club confirming the procedure was successful and that he was discharged shortly after.

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The 27-year-old is expected to be out for approximately six weeks, meaning he will miss several matches in the league and Turkish Cup.

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According to Küçük, Osimhen will not feature in Galatasaray’s upcoming matches against Trabzonspor, Göztepe, Kocaelispor and Gençlerbirliği, but is targeting a return for the high-stakes clash with city rivals Fenerbahçe at Rams Park.

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“Victor Osimhen will be on the field for the Fenerbahçe derby unless something negative happens,” Küçük was quoted by Habersarikirmizi as saying.

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The 2023 African Player of The Year himself has stated this clearly. Osimhen told Dursun Özbek, “Don’t worry, President. I will be on the field, and we will be champions.”

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The timing of the derby could hardly be more significant. Galatasaray currently lead the Super Lig table by four points with a game in hand, and the April 26 fixture is shaping up as a potential title decider.

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Should his recovery take longer than expected, Osimhen would likely only return for the final two league games of the season, away to Kasımpaşa and at home to Antalyaspor.

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He will also be hoping the club advance in the Turkish Cup, where they face Gençlerbirliği in the quarter-finals.

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This season, the former Napoli man has been in excellent form, scoring 19 goals and providing seven assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. He also registered seven goals and three assists in 10 Champions League matches before Galatasaray’s exit.

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