An Italy based expert in African football Malu Mpasinkatu strongly believes Victor Osimhen should have been left out of Nigeria’s 2022 African Cup of Nations qualifying double header against Benin Republic and Lesotho later this month.
Mpasinkatu told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli that the Nigerian is not 100% ready for the national team assignment and is convinced Nigeria may not get the best from the striker.
” Victor Osimhen has been called up by Nigeria for the Africa Cup qualifiers and I know how important the national team is for an African. If I were Nigeria’s coach however, I would spare the boy, since he is not yet in condition, and I would let him work in Naples with Gennaro Gattuso so as to give him the time to recover in the best possible way. Napoli, on the other hand, needs him,” said Mpasinkatu.
Osimhen current crisis that saw him missed about a dozen games for Napoli started in an international game for Nigeria where he fell and injured his shoulder. The injury ensured he missed the second leg of the Nigeria vs Sierra Leone game in Freetown and the Serie A games for the rest of last year.
Osimhen tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a birthday party in Lagos organised to celebrate his birthday by his family. He returned over a month later but got injured again after playing a few games for his club. He had a head injury in the game against Atalanta in Bergamo and was cleared to play just last Friday. He returned with a bang, scoring once in Napoli’s 3-1 defeat of Bologna at the Armando Maradone stadium in Naples.