'I didn’t like him at all' – Napoli’s Rudi Garcia knocks Osimhen after two-goal Frosinone showing

Napoli’s head coach, Rudi Garcia, has pinpointed an area of concern in Victor Osimhen’s performance during their triumphant 3-1 victory against Frosinone, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Parthenopeans initially found themselves trailing due to Abdou Harroui’s seventh-minute penalty.

However, they quickly rebounded, with Matteo Politano finding the net midway through the first half.

Nigerian sensation Osimhen then took center stage. Although he secured an assist for Giacomo Raspadori’s 35th-minute strike, it was ultimately disallowed for offside.

Nevertheless, Osimhen refused to be denied, firing a fierce right-footed shot into the net three minutes before halftime, putting Napoli in the lead.

The 24-year-old striker completed his brace in the second half, outwitting goalkeeper Stefano Turati in a one-on-one situation.

What has Garcia said?

Garcia, while pleased with Osimhen’s stellar attacking display, expressed dissatisfaction with the striker’s defensive contributions.

However, he noted a notable improvement in Osimhen’s defensive efforts following their halftime discussion.

During the post-match press conference, Garcia responded to a question about the pressure on Osimhen’s performance, saying, “From an offensive point of view, he was very good, he scored two goals, and I have nothing to say to him.

“From a defensive point of view, however, I didn’t like him at all, and I told him so during the interval. In the past, he pressed more and defended better.

“We corrected this in the second half and played with a lot of quality. I knew he didn’t have 90 minutes in his legs, but we waited for him to score.

“From a psychological point of view, he’s engaged in the match, and when there’s competition, he’s always there to respond. He’s a driving force and will never change; that’s his strength.”

Osimhen was Serie A’s top scorer last season, notching an impressive 26 goals. His contributions were pivotal in Napoli securing the Serie A title, breaking a 33-year championship drought.