Victor Osimhen made his much-anticipated return to action on Monday night as Galatasaray were forced to settle for a dramatic 1–1 draw against fierce rivals Fenerbahçe in the Istanbul derby.

The Nigerian striker, who had been sidelined with a minor hamstring injury picked up during international duty last month, was restored to the starting XI by head coach Okan Buruk. His absence had seen him miss key fixtures against Istanbul Başakşehir and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Despite his return, Osimhen endured a physically demanding evening as Fenerbahçe’s defence — marshalled by captain Milan Škriniar — shadowed him closely and limited his space. The 26-year-old received a yellow card in the 71st minute for a clumsy challenge before being substituted for Mauro Icardi with a minute left on the clock.

Galatasaray had taken the lead in the 27th minute when Germany international Leroy Sané’s effort took a deflection and wrong-footed the goalkeeper. But just when the home fans thought the points were secured, substitute John Durán struck deep into stoppage time to earn Fenerbahçe a share of the spoils.

Opinion: Galatasaray Need More Than Osimhen’s Presence — They Need His Freedom

Osimhen’s return is undoubtedly a boost for Galatasaray, but Monday’s performance highlighted a deeper issue: the team still hasn’t figured out how to play to his strengths.

The Nigerian thrives when he can stretch defences, run into space, and press high with intensity. Instead, he found himself boxed in by Škriniar’s tight marking and an unusually cautious Galatasaray setup. A fit Osimhen is dangerous — but a liberated Osimhen is unstoppable.

If Galatasaray hope to dominate the title race and make progress in Europe, they must build a system that unleashes the striker rather than isolates him. The derby result shows they can create chances, but turning them into goals requires allowing Osimhen the freedom to do what he does best: torment defenders, not chase shadows.

His comeback is a step forward — but the real breakthrough will come when Galatasaray learn to revolve around his strengths, not just rely on his presence.