Femi Solaja with agency report
After almost 10 days of face-off between Nigerian international, Victor Osimhen, and his Italian Serie A champions Napoli, a truce has been achieved at last.
The Super Eagles striker broke his silence on the controversial video posts on the club’s official TikTok account that openly mocked him. While the first derided him for missing a penalty late last month, the second labelled him a ‘coconut’ and it was viewed as a racial slur.
His representative, Roberto Calenda, threatened legal actions against the Italian club for such condescending behavior.
The 24-year-old reacted to the incident by deleting all but one reference to Napoli on his social media accounts and again refused to take a penalty at the weekend. Although Italian medium Corriere dello Sport reported that a private apology was offered to the Nigerian player by Napoli directors, Osimhen was still not satisfied because it was not made public in the same manner as the videos.
But after scoring in Napoli’s 4-0 win at Lecce on Saturday, Osimhen reiterated his love for Napoli on Instagram.
“Coming to the city of Naples in 2020 was a wonderful decision for me,” began the 24-year-old top striker.
“The people of Naples have shown me so much love and kindness, and I will not allow anyone to come between us.
“The passion of the people of Naples fuels my fire to always play with my heart and soul, and the love for the badge is unwavering as I wear it with pride.
“I have a lot of friends who are Neapolitans and have become part of my family and everyday life. I appreciate Nigerians and everyone for lending their voices to support and reach out to me.
“Let’s continue to spread unity, respect and understanding. Forza Napoli Sempre,” Osimhen signed off in his first official message since the face off began last week.
Osimhen joined Napoli for a club-record 81.3m euros (£70m) in the summer of 2020 and he was integral to helping them win a first Serie A title in 33 years last season, scoring 26 goals in 32 league appearances.
