Seria A: Did Osimhen Cost Coach Mazzari His Job? Fresh Details Emerge

• The recently sacked manager of Napoli, Walter Mazzarri, has explained why his stint with Partenopeans was cut short
• Mazarri, on his second stint with the Seria A champions, said the absence of their talisman, Victor Osimhen, cost him his job
• He stated that Osimhen's impact on the team would have helped build the momentum of their gameplay

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro.

Ex-Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri has acknowledged that the presence of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen within the squad might have extended his tenure at the club before his dismissal on Monday, February 19.

Mazzarri's departure marks the second managerial change for the Italian champions within three months following his takeover from Rudi Garcia.

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The 62-year-old was appointed Napoli's head coach in November after a lacklustre beginning to the season under Garcia.

Upon his arrival, Osimhen was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Napoli faced challenges without Osimhen

Osimhen's injury and absence during the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast meant he couldn't be there for the manager, participating in only eight games under Mazzarri.

During this period, Napoli faced difficulties without their key player, managing only three wins out of nine games.

Since his return, Osimhen has been sidelined due to fitness concerns.

According to a report from La Repubblica, the ex-Cagliari coach expressed his desire to have Osimhen available for Napoli's UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Barcelona, seeing it as an opportunity to alleviate some pressure.

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According to Mazzari:

“I was hoping to manage against Barcelona with Victor Osimhen on the pitch.”

Osimhen's Seria-A winning campaign stats

During the previous season, Osimhen spearheaded Napoli's first Serie A title push in 33 years, netting 25 goals and clinching the golden boot award.

Francesco Calzona from Slovakia has been named the new head coach of the three-time Serie A winners.

He will lead the team until the conclusion of the current season.

Transfer update: Osimhen on PSG radar as Mbappe's successor

Victor Osimhen, the reigning African footballer of the year, is considered a replacement for Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain.

This follows Mbappe's announcement on February 15 about leaving the club in the summer.

Osimhen, who previously played for Lille in the French league, has a strong track record, scoring 67 goals in 119 matches.

Source: Legit.ng