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Galatasaray has received a pre-match boost ahead of the clash against Liverpool, with Victor Osimhen stepping up his recovery from injury.
The forward, who was linked with a summer move to the Reds, has struggled with an ankle issue that kept him out of three matches. However, he returned to the team on Friday and came off the bench in the latter stages of the 1-0 win over Alanyaspor.
Osimhen also trained on Monday ahead of the Champions League encounter. Although he is unlikely to start, Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has said the 26-year-old will play some part against Liverpool.
“Victor continued training. We will see how he was in the last training session today,” Buruk said before the session on Monday.
“The fact that he played 10 minutes in the last match and continued training with us is a positive thing for us. We will look at his condition today and make a decision.”
Speaking on Friday after the Alanyaspor victory, Buruk admitted he has pushed Osimhen to be back in time for Tuesday.
“We wanted to play him [Osimhen] for 10 minutes today. We wanted him to experience the pain,” said the 51-year-old.
“Sometimes there's pain, and it's important to [play] through pain. He's not 100 percent physically ready. He hasn't had a team training session since returning from the national team.
“He played with us briefly yesterday [on Thursday],” Buruk added. “We'll assess his pain and physical condition before thinking about the next match.
“I specifically brought Osimhen on so he could play 10 minutes, have a chance to play the next match, and contribute to us. “We're taking these risks to ensure he plays.”
Osimhen is the star name in a team that contains Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, and Mauro Icardi. The Nigerian netted 37 times last season for the Istanbul club and turned his loan into a permanent deal over the summer.
With a role as a substitute most likely for Osimhen, Buruk stressed the importance of having a deep squad ahead of the game.
He continued: “Tomorrow, not only the starting XI, but also the finishing XI will be crucial, I believe. In high-tempo matches, the players who come off the bench should be especially important.
“I'm not looking at tomorrow as starting and being benched, but as a team that will start and finish the match. Hopefully, my players will see it that way, too.
“Of course, a player who doesn't play is always upsetting, always falling a little, but tomorrow's match isn't like that.
“The resilience of the players who will come on, in particular, will be a key factor in us maintaining a high tempo. Our focus is on winning this match. It's the day to show our opponent our strength at home and what we can all do together.”
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