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JUST IN! Finally, Super Eagles forward cleared for Juventus battle
Victor Osimhen who helped the Super Eagles to a vital World Cup qualifiers victory against Cape Verde on Tuesday evening had recently suffered a two-game ban for violent conduct against Daan Heymans during a Serie A game against Venezia on August 22, 2021.
Osimhen had last month received only his second red card of his professional career when referee Gianluca Aureliano deemed the Nigeria international’s action offensive after he appeared to have hit Heymans during a corner kick thus issuing him a red card.
Sequel to the undesirable development, the former Lille attacker was suspended in Napoli’s game against Genoa, but has however had his red card rescinded after serving one match ban following a successful appeal by Napoli.
The 22-year-old former Wolfsburg forward had suffered his first red card during a Uefa Europa League clash against Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena on October 29, 2020.
A statement from the club’s website reveals: “Napoli have successfully appealed to the Sports Court of Appeal to reduce Victor Osimhen’s suspension from two games to one”.
“Given that the striker already served the first match of the suspension against Genoa, he will be available for selection this weekend.”
The latest decision will definitely come as a big boost for Luciano Spalletti’s men who welcome Juventus to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Saturday’s blockbuster Italian elite division encounter.
Meanwhile, prior to this reversal, former Napoli striker Emanuele Calaio had suggested that Osimhen’s punishment was extreme while insisting that the Super Eagle’s behaviour was natural.
Speaking to Radio Kiss Calaio held that: “The expulsion to Osimhen? Already last year it was felt that the character of the Nigerian was a bit too steamy,”
“A thick striker must also have the lucidity to be quiet in certain moments of the race. But the expulsion was excessive.
“In football, you also see much worse and without red cards. Aureliano was in confusion during the race also in the management of the cards against the Venezia players.
“Osimhen’s behaviour was instinctive: he had been restrained and yanked, the defenders do everything to provoke. I also happened to push away the defenders because they kept my shirt.”
The 22-year-old Nigerian who scored for the Super Eagles in their World Cup qualifiers 2-1 win against Cape Verde on Tuesday evening will be hoping to continue in the goal scoring form to get his first goal of the season for Napoli after finding the back of the net 10 times in 24 Serie A games for Napoli last season if selected to face Juventus on Saturday.