“He’s healed” – Napoli doctor explains the reason why Victor Osimhen still wears a protective mask

The Nigeria international suffered a face-shattering injury towards the end of last year, but he has full recovered

Napoli Team Doctor Roberto Ruggiero has revealed why Victor Osimhen still uses a protective mask months after he was declared fit to return from injury to football action.

It would be recalled that Osimhen suffered a facial fracture in November that required significant reconstruction surgery.

For two months, the Nigeria international was out of action and only returned to competitive football earlier this year with a protective mask.

Six months after, Osimhen is back looking fit and healthy in preseason training camp with Napoli, but the former Lille forward is still putting on a face mask.

But Roberto Ruggiero has waved away worries surrounding Osimhen's mask-wearing, insisting that the Nigerian Is fully healed from his injuries.

The highly-rated Italian surgeon, however, revealed that Osimhen is free to remove the mask, but he only wears it because it gives him ‘a sense of security' during games.

“Osimhen is perfectly healed, he's still wearing the protective mask because it gives him a sense of security, but he's healed,” Ruggiero told Radio Marte via Tutto Napoli.

“He has his own balance and wants to wear it. Hopefully, this mask will be enough until he feels safe and takes it off. Not before then. I have still seen for a check, but as soon as he returns, we will have intense work to do.”

Despite Osimhen's injuries and covid-19-induced absence last term, the 23-year-old managed 18 goals and two assists in all competitions for Napoli.