By Milcah Tanimu

Napoli’s manager, Rudi Garcia, has voiced his dissatisfaction with Victor Osimhen’s performance during their recent 2-1 loss to Lazio over the weekend. Garcia was particularly critical of the Super Eagles striker’s display in the second half of the match, which marked Napoli’s first league defeat of the season.

Osimhen, despite his efforts, was unable to find the back of the net as Napoli fell short at the Diego Maradona Stadium. Garcia, in comments reported by Tutto Napoli, remarked, “He (Osimhen) also dropped off in the second half; in the first half, he didn’t have any outstanding opportunities. He consistently puts pressure on the opposing defense and creates space for others. We had our chances, our ambitions, and we played aggressively. However, in the second half, none of my players met the team’s expected standards.”

This critique isn’t the first time Garcia has expressed concerns about Osimhen’s performance. Despite being Serie A’s most valuable player and the top scorer in the Italian top flight last season, the 24-year-old striker still has some work to do to convince Garcia of his elite-quality status. Osimhen has already scored three goals in three league games this season.