Former Sunderland manager, Paulo Di Canio, has attributed Napoli’s 3-1 Serie A loss to AC Milan to the absence of Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen.
The 21-year-old was ruled out of the encounter with a shoulder dislocation which he is currently recuperating from. He sustained the injury in Nigeria’s African Cup of Nations 4-4 draw against Sierra Leone in Benin recently.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace in the 20th and 54th – minute while Dries Mertens pulled one back in the 63rd – minute but Jens Hauge’s 95th-minute goal confirmed victory for the visitors against their host who were reduced to 10-men in the 65th-minute after Tiémoué Bakayoko was sent off.
Speaking after the game, the former Napoli and Juventus striker says the absence of the Nigerian made the team lifeless as there was no one available to get on the nerve of defenders
“The absence of Victor Osimhen was felt. The former Lille man can make this team make the leap in quality,” he told Sky Calcio Club per area napoli.it
“Without Osimhen, Napoli make use of little players – Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens, who have done these little concrete things with Milan.
“The Nigerian can attack and pull the neck of the opponents. Osimhen has the desire to light the sacred fire – the one I don’t see when he’s not playing. It’s difficult to change the character and attitudes of the players when he’s not around.” Ibrahimovic’s brace sees him go top of the goal scorer’s list with 10 goals while Juventus’ superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, has found the back of the net 10 times.