Xavi Hernadez has warned his Barcelona stars to be wary of the threat posed by striker Victor Osimhen in Tuesday’s round of 16 second leg UEFA Champions League clash with Napoli.
Osimhen rescued a merited draw from the first leg in Naples when he smashed in a Frank Anguissa’s pass in the 75th minute.
Barcelona had taken the lead on the hour-mark courtesy of Poland striker Robert Lewandowski’s 93rd career goal in the Champions League from Pedri’s delightful through ball.
Since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the 25-year-old has scored five goals in five games for Napoli a form Xavi sees as a threat.
“We saw them from the first leg — Osimhen and Kvaratshkelia are top-level players and dangerous, Xavi said.
“For us, it is essential to defend well against them against and limit the chances they get to hurt us. He (Osimhen) scored from the real chance he had in the first leg and we must not let that happen.”
Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo also has praised Osimhen ranking him among the best players in the world currently. Both teams meet again at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday (today) in a winner-takes-all clash.
And Cancelo adds that Osimhen must be watched.
“Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen, and Politano are exceptional talents. Osimhen scored against us in the first leg with half a chance. He is one of the best strikers in the world,” Cancelo told La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Barcelona’s UCL clash against Napoli.
“In the first leg, Napoli were poor and created very few chances. But Osimhen had just one crack at goal and scored.”
Since that game, Napoli have scored 10 goals in five matches with Osimhen involved in six of them (five goals and one assist).
Napoli are expected to present a sterner test for the reigning Spanish champions, and Osimhen would be leading that charge.
Meanwhile, Last season’s Capcannoniere is expected to lead a front three also featuring Kvaratskhelia and Matteo Politano.
Osimhen will aim to score his 10th Champions League goal which will make him Nigeria’s most prolific player in the competition, moving clear of Obafemi Martins who scored nine goals in 34 UCL games.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
