Osimhen and Leao's return match is set: Will they play in the Beşiktaş derby?

Victor Osimhen and Rafael Leao, who have been away from the team due to injuries at Galatasaray, have become a matter of curiosity regarding their return to the pitch. Osimhen, who injured his left knee in the Champions League match against Stuttgart, underwent arthroscopic surgery on November 7. The goalscorer is expected to be included in the squad again for the Aston Villa match on November 24 and to get minutes depending on his physical condition. The coaching staff's main goal is to get Osimhen to a level where he can start in the Beşiktaş derby on November 30.

The recovery process of Rafael Leao is said to take longer. The Portuguese player, who was injured and substituted off in the match against Amed Sportif Faaliyetler, had MR scans that revealed a severe strain and bleeding in the right upper posterior muscle group. In initial assessments, he was expected to miss the Samsunspor and Aston Villa matches, while according to a report published on November 13, Leao is highly likely to be fit for the Beşiktaş derby squad, but is not expected to start in the starting XI. Whether Leao will be able to play in the derby will become clear from his response to treatment. His health status is also to be reassessed for the Çaykur Rizespor and AEK matches. It is considered that the coaching staff does not want to risk putting players on the pitch before they are fully ready and facing a new injury risk.

Source: Yeni Safak Spor

Correction (15.11.2026): The main event of the story is accurate, but since the research notes only confirmed Osimhen's left knee injury, the remaining claims were not fully verified, so the decision was issued as a correction.