Posted by After returning from the African Cup of Nations, Victor Osimhen will miss Napoli’s Serie A match against Genoa this weekend, the Italian champions announced on Friday.
The Nigerian striker trained “personally” on Friday, according to a statement from Napoli. “Work that he will also continue tomorrow (Saturday),” the team added, adding that Genoa will be their guests in Naples on Saturday.
Osimhen, however, ought to start for Napoli against Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first-leg match on Wednesday night at home under Walter Mazzarri’s team.
Before Christmas, the 25-year-old made his Napoli debut in a 2-0 loss to rivals Roma, in which he was sent off.
After that, he took off for Ivory Coast with his national team to compete in the Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles lost to the host country in a thrilling final.
Only once during the whole tournament, in Nigeria’s opening 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea, did star forward Osimhen score.
Following the retirement of Scudetto-winning coach Luciano Spalletti, Napoli had a dismal season that left them eighth in Italy’s top flight, destroying any chance of winning the Serie A title.
Prior to this Saturday’s game, Napoli sits seven points behind leaders Inter Milan and twenty-five points behind the positions in the division’s Champions League.