Victor Osimhen: A Champions League night now targeted for return

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is being lined up to return from knee surgery in Galatasaray's Champions League home game against Aston Villa on 24 November, according to Turkish outlet Fanatik, with the club unwilling to risk him in the league three days earlier.

The Nigeria forward hurt his left knee in Galatasaray's Champions League meeting with VfB Stuttgart. A scan after the game found a loose fragment in the joint, and the operation to remove it was carried out at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital in Istanbul by club doctor Yener İnce.

The injury came at the worst moment for Nigeria. Osimhen is missing the AFCON 2027 qualifying double-header against Tanzania, in Uyo on Friday and Zanzibar on Tuesday, and Galatasaray have already played once without him, beating Amedspor 4-3 at home.

Samsunspor too soon, Villa the target

Fanatik reported that Osimhen could be ready for the Süper Lig home match against Samsunspor on 21 November, the first game after the international break, as relayed by Legit.ng and Blueprint.

Galatasaray do not plan to take that risk. The more likely comeback, per the same report, is the visit of Aston Villa three days later. The club itself has set no return date and has said only that his recovery is being monitored daily by its medical team.

Analysis: why waiting three days makes sense

Galatasaray's caution is easy to understand. Before the injury, Osimhen had nine league goals and three assists in eight Süper Lig appearances, as beIN Sports noted, which put him level at the top of the scoring chart with compatriot Gift Orban. A striker producing at that rate is worth more fit in December than half-fit for one game in November.

Holding him back for Villa also gives him a cleaner run: a home European night first, with the league schedule to follow. Any setback in the Samsunspor game would cost Galatasaray far more than the 90 minutes they would gain.

For Nigeria, the timeline matters beyond this window. The surgery has already clouded talk of his future in the January window, and a smooth return in late November would ease worries that he could lose momentum before the next Super Eagles camp.

If the report is right, the Aston Villa game on 24 November is the first chance to see whether Osimhen picks up where he left off.