Victor Osimhen Set for Galatasaray Debut Against Rizespor

Victor Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray on a one-year loan, is poised to make his debut appearance for the team as they host Rizespor this Saturday in the Turkish Super Lig week 5 fixture at RAMS Park, İstanbul. Osimhen’s arrival in Istanbul was met with great excitement, as thousands of Galatasaray fans gathered early in the morning to welcome their new signing.

On Thursday, September 12, Osimhen trained with his new teammates for the first time since leaving Naples for Istanbul. Prior to his move to Turkey, he had been on international duty with the Super Eagles. The forward has reunited with his former Napoli colleague, Dries Mertens, who is also a Galatasaray player now.

Osimhen will be eager to make an immediate impact at his new club, especially since Galatasaray’s regular striker, Mauro Icardi, is sidelined with an injury. Due to Icardi’s absence, Osimhen is expected to lead the attack against the visiting team, Rizespor.

The upcoming match will also see Nigerian players facing each other on opposing sides, as Osimhen’s Galatasaray takes on Rizespor, which includes Nigerian compatriots Ibrahim Olawoyin, Okechukwu Azubuike, and Babajide David.

Galatasaray currently occupies the second position in the Super Lig standings, accumulating nine points from their first three games. They have won all three league matches this season, including a notable 5-1 victory over Adana Demirspor in the second week. On the other hand, Rizespor sits in 12th place with four points from four matches. They are seeking to recover from two consecutive defeats, having suffered a 5-0 loss to Fenerbahce followed by a 1-0 defeat against Kasimpasa.

Historically, Galatasaray holds the advantage in head-to-head statistics, securing 11 victories over Rizespor with eight draws in previous encounters. RAMS Park will be the center of attention as fans watch to see if the African Player of the Year can lead Galatasaray to another triumph, marking Osimhen’s entry into Turkish football.