Opponent Watch: Napoli key forward a doubt for Champions League tie vs Barcelona

Barcelona could be on the receiving of rather positive news ahead of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg tie against Napoli, as it has emerged that their star forward Victor Osimhen is now a major doubt for the fixture, reports SPORT.

The 25-year-old went to serve Nigeria during the African Cup of Nations where he went on to play all seven games, scoring a goal while providing three assists as his team lost 1-2 against Ivory Coast in the final.

Interestingly enough, the forward was suffering from muscle discomfort throughout the tournament, yet managed to start all the games for his team.

After the AFCON ended, the Nigerian striker intended to fly back to Naples through two flights: one from Lagos to Turkey and another from Turkey to Italy. 

Unfortunately, a delay in the first flight made him miss the second one, and as a result, he couldn’t join Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri as planned.

Will he make it against Barcelona?

Victor Osimhen played through injury during AFCON. (Photo by ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images)

As a result of the aforementioned event, Osimhen is anticipated to miss Napoli’s upcoming league match as he prioritizes rest to ensure optimal conditions for the crucial Champions League tie against Barcelona. 

Furthermore, it is said that during his AFCON run, the 25-year-old lost 3-4 kgs in weight, meaning that once he arrives in Italy, he will not be in his best physical shape.

“I spoke with Osimhen on the phone, how he was, there is continuous contact. Now we will talk to him and see if he will be available to come to the bench,” said Mazzarri when asked about the availability of his forward. 

“Let’s see how he is after those trips. He will arrive for the afternoon training session,” he added.

While his participation in the Barça match remains uncertain, it is evident that he will want to be available for the game which is going to be Napoli’s most important fixtures of the season.