VICTOR Osimhen will be the man to watch out for tonight when Napoli host Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.
The Super Eagles striker has scored 21 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions for Serie A leaders Napoli this season, including two goals in four Champions League matches.
After playing less than one half in Napoli’s first three Champions League fixtures this season due to injury, the prolific Nigeria international has scored two in his three starts since then, including the opening goal against Frankfurt in the first leg three weeks ago in Germany.
Osimhen will lead the line again tonight as Napoli seek to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
They won the UEFA Cup in 1989 with the legendary Diego Maradona inspiring the side, but they have fallen short in the biggest club competition in Europe.
The closest Napoli got to the quarter-finals was in 2012 when they beat Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg of their round of 16 tie in Italy but lost the reverse fixture 4-1 in extra-time at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian side are taking another two-goal lead into the second leg at the same stage 11 years later, and they have promised to avoid complacency this time.
Although they are hot favourites to see off UEFA Europa League holders Frankfurt in Naples, Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti is not getting carried away.
After the first leg three weeks ago, Corriere dello Sport said Napoli were out of this world (their headline: ‘Galattici!’), but Spalletti is having none of it.
“We need to stay calm, very calm,” he warned. “Our biggest enemy is to think it’s done.”
To ensure they avoid any upset, Spalletti will hope Osimhen keeps his remarkable form going tonight.
The 24-year-old Nigerian has scored 11 goals in 12 games in Serie A and Champions League since the turn of the year, making him one of the hottest strikers in the world at the moment.
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