- Victor Osimhen doubled Napoli’s lead in the Serie A encounter on Wednesday
- The Nigerian started the match despite being locked in an ongoing feud
- Mail Sport’s new WhatsApp Channel: Get the breaking news and exclusives here
Victor Osimhen scored Napoli’s second goal against Udinese on Wednesday evening after being chosen to start the Serie A encounter despite the player’s relationship with the club souring in the past 24 hours.
The Nigerian ended his four-game wait for a goal as he struck in the 39th-minute to double Napoli’s lead after Polish midfielder Piotr Zielinski initially put the hosts in-front.
Osimhen was played through on goal by Italian Matteo Politano and kept his cool to finish with a strike across the face of Marco Silvestri’s goal.
However, the usually emphatic celebrator instead refused to recognise his strike and adopted a mooted stance while team-mates ran over to congratulate him.
Osimhen was taken off in the second-half and shook manager Rudi Garcia‘s hand – in different scenes to those at the weekend when he berated his manager upon being replaced.
Victor Osimhen scored Napoli’s second goal against Udinese on Wednesday evening
The 24-year-old refused to celebrate his goal that doubled Napoli’s advantage against Udinese
His team-mates did run up to celebrate with him including Mario Rui who was the first to congratulate him
Osimhen shook manager Rudi Garcia’s hand after coming off the pitch – after berating his manager when the same thing happened during a goalless draw with Bologna at the weekend
The Napoli faithful packed out in the stands at the Diego Maradona stadium echoed their support for the troubled striker after his goal as they chanted his name while raucous cheers ensued.
Osimhen has been the unsuspecting subject of chaos at the club that was kick-started after videos were posted on their TikTok account mocking the star.
The 24-year-old’s refusal to celebrate his goal is the latest act in a souring relationship after he also deleted photos of himself in the Serie A side’s shirt from his Instagram account.
Two social media videos at the centre of the disarray appear to mock Osimhen with the first focusing on his penalty miss during Sunday’s goalless draw against Bologna.
Napoli manager Rudi Garcia (right) named Osimhen in his starting side despite appearing to fall out with the striker
Osimhen’s name rang around the Diego Maradona stadium after his goal against Udinese
Osimhen exchanged words with his manager Garcia after being replaced against Bologna
The second allegedly from the club’s account, which has been circulated online and since deleted, compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’ – widely viewed as a racial slur
Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda has even threatened legal action against the club, stating in a tweet: ‘What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable.’
Osimhen was largely responsible for firing Napoli to the Serie A title last season as his 26 goals helped the club end their 33-year wait for the Scudetto.
His team-mate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a third goal for the hosts in Wednesday’s encounter before substitute Giovanni Simeone added a fourth late on.
Source From: Football | Mail Online
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