Champions League: Victor Osimhen, a comeback and a goal that feels good
Ten days after the final lost to Ivory Coast, Victor Osimhen, African Player of the Year 2023, returned to the field for the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League between Naples and FC Barcelona (1 -1). Little in sight, he still managed to score the goal of hope for his club which is experiencing a catastrophic season.
Victor Osimhen has just equalized for Naples against FC Barcelona. REUTERS - REMO CASILLI
By: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
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This season is set to be an exercise to forget for
Victor Osimhen
, unfortunate finalist of
CAN 2024
. Already behind in the Italian championship, the Nigerian striker and his club are not at their best in the Champions League after the draw at home (1-1) against FC Barcelona, this Wednesday February 21 in the round of 16 first leg .
Having returned late from the CAN, which saw him practically carry Nigeria to the final, Victor Osimhen was left in the stands this weekend for the Naples-Genoa meeting (1-0). This Wednesday, he returned to Napoli, two months after his last match with his club. Aligned on the front of the attack, the “masked” striker had great difficulty breaking away from the marking of the Barcelona defenders and creating chances. But it only took one, at the start of the last quarter of an hour, to beat Martinez and respond to Lewandowski's opener (60th) and equalize for Naples (75th). A goal which hides the gloom of the Neapolitan season and its official scorer. Because the time when the Super Eagle hovered over the Italian championship with Naples is long gone.
A transfer to Real Madrid or Paris SG…
Top scorer in Serie A last season (26 goals), the Nigerian international allowed his team to win the champion title, 33 years after the last coronation. But this season, Victor Osimhen has only played 13 of 24 league matches. The fault lies in a long absence due to injury then at the African Cup of Nations. With only nine goals in all competitions, the former Lille striker is having a season that reflects his club. The reigning champion is left behind in Serie A (9th, 27 points behind leader Inter) and eliminated from the Italian Cup. The club located at the foot of the Vesuvius volcano has been subject to strong tremors since the start of the season. Luciano Spalletti, the champion coach left after the title, his successor, Rudi Garcia, was sacked last November and replaced by Walter Mazzarri. The latter has also just been dismissed three days before the match against FC Barcelona. It is therefore Francesco Calzona, appointed this Monday February 19, who is now Osimhen's new coach.
Highly coveted last summer, the Nigerian striker is certainly living his last months with Naples, whom he
joined in July 2020
for 75 million euros. Victor Osimhen, who extended his contract at the end of December, will leave Naples this summer “
for Real Madrid, or Paris SG or an English club
”, its president Aurelio De Laurentiis has already announced.
In the meantime, his club will count on him to save what can be saved.
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