Galatasaray vice-president Mehmet Cibara has firmly rejected suggestions that the club’s pitch contributed to the recent injuries suffered by Victor Osimhen and Rafael Leao.

Osimhen sustained a knee injury during Galatasaray’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Stuttgart earlier this month and later underwent arthroscopic surgery after scans revealed a loose fragment.

The Super Eagles striker has been ruled out of Nigeria’s upcoming AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Tanzania as a result.

Leao, meanwhile, picked up a high-grade strain with significant bleeding during last weekend’s win over Amed SK.

Speaking at the club’s board meeting, Cibara insisted there was no connection between the playing surface at Rams Park and the setbacks.

Victor Osimhen has not featured in the qualifiers so far. | IMAGO

Rafael Leao and Victor Osimhen at Rams Park.

“The injuries have nothing to do with the pitch. Leao’s injury is completely different,” he said.

“Osimhen’s injury is something chronic. I won’t say more about him because we are in the international break.”

The comments come amid growing scrutiny of the Rams Park surface, with some observers linking the successive injuries to the state of the pitch.

Cibara pushed back strongly against that narrative, describing the field’s drainage and hybrid systems as among the best in Europe and insisting the two cases were unrelated.

Osimhen's return to action remains undetermined, but Galatasaray hope he will be available after the international break.

The Nigerian has scored 11 goals and provided 6 assists for the Turkish champions this season.