Osimhen ruled out of Nigeria's two AFCON qualifying matches

The Nigerian Football Federation has issued an official statement regarding the injury situation of Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen. According to the federation, the striker will be unable to play in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches due to his ongoing recovery from a muscle strain. The federation also sent well wishes to the star player for a speedy recovery.

Nigeria, competing in Group L of the qualifiers, will host Madagascar at home on Friday, September 25, before traveling to face Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, September 29. Although national team coach Eric Chelle had included Osimhen in his 24-man squad, the striker will be unable to assist his team in these two crucial matches due to his injury. The Nigerian national side will therefore have to compete without their top scorer.

Osimhen's injury dates back to Galatasaray's Süper Lig matchday 4 fixture, which the Istanbul club won 3-2 against Başakşehir. The star forward was substituted in the 33rd minute of that match after a strain and pain were detected in his right groin. Since that incident, Osimhen has been sidelined for two weeks, affecting both his club and international career.

Galatasaray fans and the coaching staff are hoping the striker makes a full recovery and returns to action as soon as possible. This development regarding the national team also shows that the club is taking a cautious approach to managing his health condition. There is significant interest in whether Osimhen will be fit to play in Galatasaray's upcoming crucial fixtures.