Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen in the tough with Napoli

Defending champions, Napoli does not look like last season. Napoli did not do better than draw against Bologna on Sunday, September 24 in the 5th matchday (0-0). Enough to sign a third match without victory in a row with Victor Osimhen on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Victor Osimhen. AP - Fabio Ferrari

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Symbols of the impressive 2022-23 season at the end of which they offered their tifosi a title awaited for 33 years, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are lacking confidence and success.

The first, top scorer in Serie A last season, found the post in the 5th minute, then missed a penalty in the 72nd minute. The second has tried a lot, but is still waiting for his first goal since last March.

Unhappy with Rudi Garcia

Replaced at the end of the match, Osimhen, coveted by the biggest European clubs this summer, did not fail to express his dissatisfaction to Rudi Garcia, reproaching him for his tactical choices by making him gesture 2, for two players in point, instead of one. About Osimhen's behaviour after his replacement, the former Lille coach said he "spoke to him after the game, but it remains between us, in the team".

Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said Osimhen's reaction to his replacement was "unnecessary" and said he would discuss the matter with the team. The Nigerian international, who became an idol at Napoli, is in his 3rd game in a row without a goal scored.

Like Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had already shown his annoyance with Garcia, for the same reasons last week, after being replaced against Genoa.

Napoli, in the middle of a marathon of seven matches in 23 days, hosts Udinese on Wednesday 27 September as part of the 6th matchday of the Italian Championship, played in midweek. "We have to win this game," Garcia said. Napoli are in seventh place in the Serie A table with eight points from five games. Today, the Gazzetta dello Sport accuses the Frenchman of having "normalized Napoli".

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