Spalletti reveals the areas Osimhen must improve after Napoli draw at Camp Nou
Napoli coach, Spalletti points out the areas Victor Osimhen must improve following Napoli’s 1-1 draw against Barcelona.
After Napoli’s game yesterday, against Barcelona in the Europa league round of 16, Napoli coach, Luciano Spalletti, admits the 23-year old needs to improve his performance after failing to find the back of the net against the Catalans.
It was the Partenopei who took the lead in the 29th minute through a Piotr Zielinski strike before Barcelona equalized in the 59th minute through Ferran Torres from the penalty spot.
However, the Napoli coach was not satisfied with the Nigerian performance who was handed a start in the game before being substituted in the 80th minute for Dries Mentes.
He felt the player should have been following the line, which could have changed the result, instead of being caught offside for four to five times.
“Osimhen gives us these incredible changes of pace,” Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia as quoted by Football Italia. “He still needs to learn about the right movements, as in the second half he was caught offside four or five times when he really should’ve been following the line.
“The midfielders also need to draw out an opposition defender to then put the pass through. I do see this performance as an improvement if we can only carry on certain moves and approaches for the whole game.
“It was the choice of defending deeper that cost us because that was a choice. When we attacked Barcelona, we caused them a lot of problems.”
Spalletti also feels the penalty call that gave Barcelona the draw was baseless.
“With all due respect, I will say Barcelona deserved a draw, but that penalty was non-existent,” the 62-year-old Italian coach continued. “It doesn’t change direction. It didn’t touch his fingertips, it touched his little finger.
“The arm also seemed to be in a fairly natural position. “Either defenders have to keep their hands behind their backs at all times, which limits movement when running, or I don’t know what they are supposed to do.
“As I said, Barcelona deserved an equaliser, but that was not a penalty.”
Indeed, Barcelona needed the draw to make the second leg less difficult. Even now, Barcelona qualification is hanging on a balance, because a goalless draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona will send the Spanish giant out of the tournament due to Napoli’s away goal at Camp Nou.
