Osimhen wanted to play for Napoli against Barcelona in Champions League – Okolo

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The Nigerian forward watched on as his new team was eliminated from Europe’s premier club competition

Victor Osimhen wished he was on the pitch to play and help his Napoli teammates in their 3-1 Champions League round of 16 second-leg defeat by Barcelona, according to his brother-in-law and representative, Osita Okolo.

The Partenopei were clear underdogs heading into the tie having drawn 1-1 at home in the first leg back in February, and it proved to go that way with first-half goals from Clement Lenglet, Lionel Messi and Luiz Suarez, securing a 3-1 win (4-2 on aggregate).

Osimhen watched the game but was unable to participate having just joined them following a €50 million move from Lille. He is expected to start training with his teammates when the new season commences.

Okolo believes the Nigeria international is going to have a huge impact at the San Paolo.

"Victor saw the match between Barcelona and Naples: he told me he wanted to play in it to help his new teammates," Okolo told Radio Kiss Kiss.

"Sorry for the elimination because the team has made itself respected despite facing a strong club like Barcelona.

"Osimhen will have a great impact with Napoli, I am sure. He has a great desire above all to score: he is an excellent finisher and he will come to do what he does best, that is to score.

"He will be in Castel di Sangro on the dates set by the club for preparation. Soon he will join the group to start this new adventure."

Osimhen started his senior career at Wolfsburg before moving the Charleroi in Belgium and then Lille. He revealed the reason why he was not able to establish himself in Germany, citing a lack of patience from Wolfsburg in allowing him to prove his worth.

“The weather, the language, the food [affected me]. It was my first time in Europe, I was just 18-years-old and I didn't have enough time to acclimatise. They didn't believe in me very much,” Osimhen told Sport1.

This was in contrast to Charleroi where he claims he was accepted and appreciated. He ended up scoring 20 goals in 36 appearances in just one season.

“I think that the love and acceptance that I experienced in Charleroi helped me a lot. I had just come out of a difficult situation and my self-confidence was at its lowest point,” he said.

2020-08-09 18:00:05

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