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Victor Osimhen and Napoli might have had their fair share of tussles this season, but Rudi Garcia needs him back as soon as possible to make the Blues dangerous again.
Napoli struggled to pick up a win against Union Berlin in Germany. The Serie A champions might have won the game 1-0, but it was a poor attacking display. As a matter of fact, the six attempts, one shot on target, and 0.25 expected goals were the lowest figures by a team to win a match in the UEFA Champions League this season.
The numbers and struggles are more jarring with the realization that this attacking performance came against a Union side that have lost every football game they have played since August.
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The fallout between Garcia and Osimhen
Rudi Garcia and Victor Osimhen had a fallout earlier this season when the manager took him off minutes after a penalty miss in the goalless draw with Bologna. The striker was also unhappy with the club for posting a video on TikTok mocking him after the penalty miss, sparking outrage among Nigerians and fans of the player.
The Nigerian sensation went ahead to remove Napoli-related pictures from his Instagram account after the incident, creating some friction with the club.
After the incident, the African Player of the Year nominee scored three goals in the following four games. Before picking up an injury against Saudi Arabia during the October international break that has kept him out of the team.
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Garcia is under pressure
Napoli ended a 33-year wait to win the scudetto last season, led by current Italy manager Luciano Spalletti and inspired by Osimhen. Following Spalletti’s mutual departure and the appointment of Garcia, the Spaniard came in faced with the herculean task of matching what is one of the biggest seasons in the club’s history.
However, he has struggled to build on last season’s success, already seven points behind league leaders Inter Mian and recording a series of high-profile defeats. He has since found a way to turn things around since the last international break, picking up three wins and a draw in four games, but the lack of bite in the Napoli side is still very evident.
Osimhen can rescue Garcia
With 36 goal contributions in 39 games in the 2022–23 season and a Serie A golden boot to his name, Osimhen was Napoli’s ultimate weapon on their journey to glory.
The Nigeria international has also scored six goals in 10 appearances this season, averaging 134 minutes per goal, the best among all Napoli’s forwards.
Garcia might have overseen three wins and one draw since Osimhen’s injury, but the lack of an imposing presence in attack is quite evident. The Nigerian takes Napoli’s attack up several levels, not just with his lethal finishing but also with his relentless pressing. In the biggest games and on the biggest nights such as the UEFA Champions League, a striker like Osimhen is who you want in front.
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The Napoli forward is arguably the most sought-after striker in world football at the moment, and this is a testament to his quality. His eighth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or, the highest finish by a Nigerian in history, shows the levels he has attained.
Garcia needs Osimhen, and he needs him back as quickly as possible to avoid the kind of attacking performance the Blues had in the reverse fixture with Union Berlin.
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