The Super Eagles striker has been praised because of his high-octane style of play, but Spalletti has been his driving force
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has revealed that Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti’s demanding nature has contributed to his high-octane style of play Soccernet.ng.
When Napoli paid Lille €72million for Osimhen’s services in 2020, it looked like they had gone overboard. And After his first season under Gennaro Gattuso when he produced just ten goals in the Serie A, he was under serious scrutiny. Also, he struggled to stay fit, and it almost seemed Aurelio De Laurentiis had wasted good money on the Nigerian striker.
However, last season, Osimhen started showing glimpses of the player that scored ten goals at the 2015 Under-17 World Cup. The Super Eagles star scored 18 goals in 32 appearances for the Partenopeans despite missing two months with a nasty facial injury.
This season, Osimhen has come into his own. He has been the force pushing Napoli to their first Scudetto triumph in over 30 years. The Super Eagles striker leads the Serie A goalscoring charts with 21 goals in 23 Serie A appearances this season.
Osimhen’s mix of power, grit, pace, skill, and placement have been key in his exploits this season. His brilliance has often been the game-changer for the Naples kings.
In an interview with l’equipe, the 24-year-old admits that Napoli coach Spalletti has contributed to how he plays.
“With Spalletti I have no choice. I score goals, but I’m also the first defender otherwise he goes crazy,” Osimhen told l’equipe per fcinter1908.
“The coach is a genius, if we do what he tells us on the pitch, we can beat any opponent.”
Napoli are set to end the season on a high. They are in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
Also, they are cruising to their first Serie A title since Maradona helped them win it in 1989/1990. Osimhen would look to end the season on a high.