Spalletti: Why Vlahovic is better than Osimhen

SSC Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti concurs with Hellas Verona manager Igor Tudor that Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is not the best striker in Italian Serie A.

This comes after Osimhen scored a brace to inspire Napoli to a 2-1 win over Verona in a league encounter which was at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi on Sunday.

During the pre-match conference, Tudor was asked whether Osimihen was the best striker in Italy. The Nigeria international has netted nine goals from 16 league starts this term.

The Croatian tactician picked Juventus FC marksman Dusan Vlahovic, who is the joint top scorer in Serie A with 20 goals from 26 starts in the competition.

Spalletti feels that the Serbian star, who was signed by Juventus from ACF Fiorentina midway through the current season, is a better striker because Osmihen is not a finished article at the moment.

“Vlahovic is a champion and if a club like Juventus signed him, it means they checked carefully he has everything required to play at that level,” Spalletti said on Football Italia.

“Osimhen is a top player with everything on his side. He’s young, he’s a good lad, he can be a bit too enthusiastic and gives his all.

“When we are talking about timing, movement, the dummy on a defender to change direction, these are the areas where he needs to improve,” the Italian tactician continued.

“Osimhen still doesn’t realise the distance from his marker, sometimes he runs towards the ball and has the time and space to control, pick his spot.

“He doesn’t need to rush. “He can start a run from midfield, take on four or five defenders by himself with that pace, so he has such potential.”

Osimhen has scored 19 goals in 32 starts in the league for Napoli since he joined the club from French side Lille OSC in September 2020.

2022.