Victor Osimhen has scored 2 goals in 2 matches for Napoli since he was embroiled in a squabble with the club over controversial TikTok Video.
Osimhen was on target for the Neapolitans on Saturday, September 30, 2023, scoring the second goal in their 4-0 hammering of Leece.
Victor Osimhen took his goal tally for the 2023/24 Serie A season to 5 goals from 7 league matches.
Osimhen continues to bang in goals for the Neapolitans
He is second on the goalscoring chart for the 2023/24 Serie A season, 4 goals behind Lautaro Martinez, who has scored 9 goals for Inter Milan.
The 24-year-old put up a petulant display when he was substituted by manager Rudi Garcia in Napoli’s 0-0 draw with Bologna.
However, that has since been settled after he apologized to his manager expressing that it was due to his desire to win.
On September 26, 2023, Napoli put up a seemingly spiteful video on TikTok, intending to mock the Nigerian forward.
The video generated fierce reactions across the globe, with many angered by the club’s treatment of their goal poacher.
Victor Osimhen’s agent also reacted to the TikTok video, expressing their disgust at the footage, and they threatened to take legal action at Napoli.
However, the Serie A champions released a statement on September 28, 2023, sharing their stance on the happenings.
The Neapolitans claimed that they never intended to mock Osimhen via the post, but they still didn’t apologize and the wording of the statement infuriated many.
An excerpt from the statement reads: “In any case, if Victor perceived any offense towards him, this was not what the club intended.”
Anyway, ahead of the encounter on Saturday, September 30, 2023, Rudi Garcia revealed why he started Osimhen from the bench for the club with Leece.
Garcia said that his decision was due to squad rotation, as he needed to keep other players physically fit for action.
Rudi Garcia explains reason for starting Victor Osimhen from the bench for the game against Leece
Speaking with DAZN, the Frenchman said: “There has to be squad rotation, it is almost a third of the team that changed since the game with Udinese, so it’s natural to look to everyone, including those who come off the bench.”
Rudi Garcia was also questioned on the issue regarding the club’s TikTok videos about Victor Osimhen, but he brushed it aside, saying:
“The extra-sport issue is not important, I prefer to talk about what happens on the field and Osimhen has scored four goals in six games. The rest will take care of itself.”
Osimhen was also on target in Napoli’s 4-1 win over Udinese, before he was substituted in the 63rd minute of proceedings.
Napoli have bounced back from their shaky start to the season, and they have moved up to 3rd on the Serie A table.
They welcome Fiorentina to the Diego Armando Maradona in their next league encounter on October 8, 2023.
However, before that fixture, they will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in their second UEFA Champions League group fixture for the 2023/24 season.
Match Highlights of the Napoli V Leece clash in full:
