Toroğlu Slams Buruk as Osimhen’s Injury Exposes Galatasaray’s Fragility

|By Babatunji Wusu

Former Turkey international Erman Toroğlu has blasted Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk, accusing him of failing to steer the team through a turbulent run triggered by the absence of Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen sustained an arm injury during Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League clash against Liverpool at Anfield in March, sidelining the Nigerian striker at a decisive stage of the campaign.

Since his injury, the Yellow-Reds have stumbled, managing just one win in their last three league outings. A 2-1 defeat to Trabzonspor, a 3-1 victory over Göztepe, and a 1-1 draw with Kocaelispor have exposed cracks in the team’s consistency.

Toroğlu did not hold back, delivering a scathing assessment of Buruk’s leadership and accusing the coach of allowing the squad to become overly dependent on Osimhen.

“There was Icardi, there was Osimhen, there was Okan Buruk. Now Osimhen is absent, Okan Buruk is absent. It’s that straightforward,” he said.

He further charged that Buruk had failed tactically, insisting the team relied heavily on the Nigerian forward to dictate play.

“If you are reliant on just one player in such a large squad, the responsibility lies with you. Okan Buruk failed to manage this team. Osimhen was the one directing you on the pitch,” Toroğlu added.

The criticism extended to Buruk’s handling of Mauro Icardi, with Toroğlu claiming the Argentine striker’s form has dipped due to inconsistent game time.

“You tried to bring Icardi on in the 89th minute because Osimhen was available. You sidelined him, and the team suffered for it,” he said.

However, there is a glimmer of hope for Galatasaray. Osimhen has resumed training and is edging closer to a return, with expectations he could feature in upcoming fixtures against Gençlerbirliği and rivals Fenerbahçe.

His comeback could prove decisive as Galatasaray fight to regain momentum in the title race after dropping crucial points in recent weeks.