Sports commentator Veli Yigit has advised Galatasaray to rest Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for Saturday’s Istanbul derby against Basaksehir, saying the forward needs time to recover after his international duties with the Super Eagles.
Osimhen played a key role as Nigeria recorded back-to-back wins in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin, featuring for a total of 170 minutes across both matches. However, he did not finish either game and appeared fatigued towards the end.
The 26-year-old has made only four starts in ten appearances for Galatasaray this season. When fully fit, he is usually one of the first names on manager Okan Buruk’s team sheet.
With a crucial UEFA Champions League match against Bodo/Glimt coming up next week, Yigit believes it would be wise to give Osimhen a rest.
“I don’t think Osimhen should start against Başakşehir. He’s been through a demanding period and is clearly tired after international duty,” Yigit told habersarikirmizi.com.
“Besides, Icardi should start to lift his confidence.”
Yigit also praised Osimhen’s attitude, saying the Nigerian star has moved on from his summer transfer saga and is now fully focused on Galatasaray.
“I see Osimhen very happy. His full attention is on Galatasaray. He’s no longer thinking about transfers or contracts. That’s important, and I expect him to deliver performances above his usual level.”
So far this season, Osimhen has been directly involved in seven goals — scoring six and providing one assist — in nine appearances for club and country.