SSC Napoli wants to be among the four best teams in Europe for the first time in its history and is relying primarily on returnee Victor Osimhen for historic club success.
The former Bundesliga striker got fit again in time for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against AC Milan in the evening (9 p.m. / DAZN) and should help to make up for the 0-1 from the first duel of this Italian football derby. The Nigerian always creates “a touch of enthusiasm” in the whole team, praised coach Luciano Spalletti.
The former Wolfsburg attacker was injured in the first leg when the southern Italians failed to score in Milan despite being largely dominating the field. With his callousness in front of goal and his speed, he should now make the difference for Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona – Osimhen had scored three times in the two round of 16 duels against Eintracht Frankfurt. “He gives our team depth, many mechanisms are tailored to him,” explained Coach Spalletti.
For the first time ever, Naples is in the quarter-finals of the European premier class, a place in the semi-finals would be the greatest international success since winning the UEFA Cup in 1989 – at that time with world star and club legend Maradona in the final against VfB Stuttgart. “Europe is watching you,” wrote the newspaper “Gazzetta dello Sport” about the duel between the sovereign Serie A leaders and last year’s champions Milan.
Milan striker Giroud fit again
The northern Italians also received positive personnel reports from the attack: Olivier Giroud is fit again after problems with his Achilles tendon, reported Milan coach Stefano Pioli. “We have a small advantage but we have yet to finish the job with a game at the highest level,” said the coach. Milan had recently won both games against Napoli, 4-0 in the league and 1-0 in the Champions League – although the southern Italians were missing Victor Osimhen.
