The exciting Nigerian forward will look to add to his goal tally in Europe’s premier club competition as he chases down Obafemi Martins’ record
Sporting Braga head coach Artur Jorge has revealed that he is not worried about how much damage Victor Osimhen will cause when Napoli face his team on Wednesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Napoli will kick off their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League campaign with an away clash with Braga at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
The Italian champions will be favourites to claim an opening-day win over the Portuguese side.
One of the highly-anticipated matchups in the encounter would be between Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Braga defender Jose Fonte.
Osimhen, who scored five goals in only six games in the Champions League last season, would be a tough customer for even the world’s best defender on any day.
But for Fonte, who turns 40 in December, the Nigerian attacker could become his worst nightmare.
This scenario worries a few Braga fans, and one reporter voiced the same concerns during the pre-match press conference when he asked Braga coach Jorge how he expects the elderly former Southampton defender to mark Osimhen.
However, Jorge’s response to the question was classy as he said he is more concerned about how Napoli will keep Braga attackers quiet during the match.
Question: How will the almost forty-year-old Jose Fonte manage to mark Victor Osimhen?
Artur Jorge: ” My concern is how the Napoli defenders will stop Banza, Abel, Djalo and Bruma.”
Simon Banza has three goals in five games for Braga this term, while Álvaro Djaló and Bruma have one goal each.
Osimhen is Napoli’s leading goalscorer with three goals in four games. The 24-year-old is Nigeria’s second-highest-scoring player in Champions League history with seven goals, two behind former Inter Milan forward – Obafemi Martins.