Former Chelsea ace and legendary former Italy international midfielder Gianfranco Zola says fans of the senior national team of Nigeria should not expect Victor Osimhen to be at his best for the team at the Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Osimhen powered Napoli to their first league title in 33 years with 26 goals and will lead the line for the senior national team of Nigeria as they go in search of their first AFCON title since 2013 in Cote d’Ivoire next year.
Speaking on a podcast anchored by former captain of the Nigerian team John Obi Mikel, the former Chelsea assistant coach said playing against African teams and the teams in the Serie A is entirely different.
” No. You can’t say he (Osimhen) will be the game changer for Nigeria. African football is a lot different with physical teams who love to defend aggressively and with low blocks most times. It isn’t that way in the Serie A, where he plays”, Zola said.
” He will score goals but it will depend on how the other players in the team operate as well. Not saying he can’t prove me wrong but I am sure it won’t be easy for him as it was in Italy last season. He is a marked man and could struggle to replicate the same form”, he concluded.
Osas Mahawi
