Turkish sports journalist Ibrahim Seten has revealed that Galatasaray’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, turned down manager Okan Buruk’s request to feature in last weekend’s Super Lig clash with Konyaspor, citing a painful knee injury.
According to Seten, while Buruk was keen on having the Nigerian international travel with the squad for the crucial away fixture, Osimhen stood his ground, insisting that his body required rest to recover properly.
The decision proved to be a significant blow for Galatasaray, who ultimately struggled without their talisman and fell to a 2-0 defeat on the road.
Sharing the behind-the-scenes details on the 343 Digital YouTube channel, Seten explained: “Information from Okan Buruk’s team indicates that Victor Osimhen did not want to come to Konya due to knee pain.
“Okan Buruk wanted him to come, but Osimhen said that despite Okan’s wishes, he was in pain and needed to rest,” he stated.
With the domestic setback behind them, Buruk is now left hoping that Osimhen can shake off the discomfort in time for Wednesday’s high-stakes Champions League Round of 16 playoff against Juventus in Italy.