SSC Napoli coach, Luciano Spalleti, has praised Victor Osimhen, following the Nigeria striker’s impressive performance in Gli Azzurri’s (The Blues) 2-1 victory over Udinese at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium Naples on Saturday.
Osimhen scored a brace in the second half of the game to give Napoli the victory after Gerard Deulofeu put Udinese ahead in the first half.
Osimhen has been terrific in an injury ravaged season and Spalleti hailed his impact, as Napoli remain second on the table.
“All season we put pressure on the opponents, but weren’t as sharp and clinical as today,” Spalleti told DAZN.
“The fans really helped as they remained passionate and eager to turn it around,
“This a very important victory, because it must be underlined Udinese are a very strong side and so well organised.
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“Osimhen is a player with extraordinary potential.
Spalleti added: “He [Osimhen] has this remarkable change of pace, but sometimes he can go beyond his limitations.
“He is very strong in the air and we made more of those crosses into the box this time.”
“Systems mean only so much, modern football is more about how you interprete them.
“We must be ready for that high press, for quick turnovers that have been modernised, spaces not between the lines, but between the opposition players.
“They no longer have these precise lines, it’s about interpreting, seeing and using those spaces.
“There will always be a space behind the defenders and we need to make the most of them.
“He is one of the players we missed.
“In these tournaments you want 18 players available all the time.
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“Osimhen was missing, unfortunately we won’t have him next time through suspension, but at least he will be well rested.”
Napoli are currently second in the Serie A table on 63 points from 30 games, behind leaders AC Milan who on same points haul but with a game in hand.
Spalleti’s team will face home side, Atalanta, without Osimhen on Saturday April 2, 2022.
By Toju Sote
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COMMENTS
Italians are wicked. They intentionally denied him a hat trick today cos the third goal the was ruled offside was actually a clean goal. Moreover, the card he got by blocking a shot close to the box is unexplicable