Galatasaray Provides Official Update on Victor Osimhen's Injury
Turkish football club Galatasaray has released a detailed medical update concerning striker Victor Osimhen following his injury during the UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool on March 18, 2026. The Nigerian forward was forced to leave the pitch at halftime after sustaining a blow to his arm in the first half of the game.
Champions League Elimination and Injury Details
Liverpool secured a comprehensive 4-1 aggregate victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League Round of 16, overturning a first-leg 1-0 deficit with a dominant 4-0 win in the second leg. Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch, and Mohamed Salah sealed the Turkish champions' exit from the competition.
The match proved doubly unfortunate for Galatasaray, as they lost two key players to significant injuries. Alongside Osimhen, winger Noa Lang suffered a serious cut to his right thumb after crashing into an advertisement board, requiring immediate surgical attention.
Official Medical Statement from Galatasaray
In an official club statement, Galatasaray confirmed the extent of Osimhen's injury: "Our player Victor Osimhen, who suffered a blow to his arm in the first half of our away match against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 and completed the first half, was not allowed to play in the second half due to the risk of a fracture after checks were carried out at halftime."
The statement continued: "Following the match, a check-up at the hospital under the supervision of our medical team revealed that our player had a fracture in his right forearm, and a cast was applied. A decision regarding surgery will be made in the coming days after further evaluation."
Timing of Injuries and International Break
The injuries to both Osimhen and Lang occur during an international break, which provides some silver lining for Galatasaray. This timing allows the players to focus on recovery without missing additional club matches.
Interestingly, Victor Osimhen had already been excluded from Nigeria's squad for upcoming friendly matches against Jordan and Iran in Antalya, Turkey. The Nigerian Football Federation will proceed with these matches after losing their 2026 World Cup case against DR Congo at FIFA.
Manager's Reaction and Match Analysis
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk acknowledged his team's shortcomings following the heavy defeat to Liverpool. He admitted that Liverpool deserved their victory and partially attributed the humiliating loss to Osimhen's early injury disruption.
The club confirmed that while Osimhen's surgical decision remains pending, Noa Lang will undergo surgery for his detached thumb in Liverpool before returning to Istanbul with medical supervision.
