Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, who made his return to action last weekend after a lengthy injury layoff, will lead the Italian champions’ attack, today, against a depleted Real Madrid in a game that could define the winner of Group C.
Both teams have already qualified for the knockout stage of the championship, but that will not affect the quality of the game they will offer fans at the Bernabeu today.
The Super Eagles star contributed an assist in Napoli’s 2-1 defeat of Atalanta at the weekend, which was his first game since he copped an injury playing for Nigeria in a friendly last month. And now he is set to start against Real Madrid.
Already, Real Madrid Manager, Carlo Ancellotti, says he has mapped out plans to neutralise Osimhen, whom he described as a complete attacker.
Real Madrid won the first leg in an interesting tie that ended 3-2. However, the Partenopeans would be looking to upset the Spanish giants this time.
Coach Walter Mazzarri will have an almost full squad following the return of Osimhen over the weekend. Speaking on the game, Ancellotti told Napoli magazine: “Kvara is formidable one-on-one, Osimhen is a complete attacker, very strong with his head and in transitions.
“We took all this into account in the first leg, and we will try to take it into account tomorrow too.” Real Madrid is contending with injuries of some major stars, but they believe they have enough talent in-depth to overcome the Italians.
Real Madrid veteran, Dani Carvajal, a stalwart right-back, said the record Champions League winners are “totally focused on the match against a very tough opponent, and with the objective of finishing first in the group.”
Carvajal, undeterred by the injury setback, sees this as an opportunity for less frequently featured players to shine, fostering unity within the squad. “It’s not good, but it opens up this opportunity to people within a few minutes and, in the end, it might bring the dressing room closer together. I am convinced that they will help us,” he asserted.
Amidst the challenges posed by injuries and the demanding fixture schedule, Carvajal addressed the strain on players, acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining peak performance. “With elite, international players playing in Europe, it’s true that the calendar is very demanding. We won’t have much of a summer. There are too many games, and it’s no coincidence that there are so many injuries. It’s very difficult to be 100 per cent every three days,” he explained.
As Real Madrid navigate challenges on multiple fronts, the depth of their squad and the unwavering confidence in their manager stand as crucial elements in their pursuit of success.
In Group A, Galatasaray will host Manchester United, while leaders, Bayern Munich, are at home to FC Copenhagen. Arsenal, who are on top in Group B, will host Lens, while struggling Sevilla are at home top PSV Eindhoven.In Group D, Benfica are at home to Inter Milan, with Real Sociedad entertaining FC Red Bull Salzburg.
