Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti is hopeful striker Victor Osimhen will be available for their next Serie A game against Verona this coming Sunday.
The 22-year-old Nigeria international, who had started in each of Napoli’s previous eight matches, missed the team’s trip to face Salernitana on Sunday, where the Parthenopeans won 1-0 to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
It was Polish player Piotr Zielinski who scored the all-important goal in the 61st minute in the match that saw Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly sent off in the 76th minute at Arechi Stadium.
Speaking after the game, Spalletti pencilled in the team’s fixture against Verona at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday as a possible return date for the Super Eagle, meaning he will almost certainly miss their Group C Europa League fixture against Legia Warsaw at Polish Army Stadium on Wednesday.
“It remains to be seen if he [Osimhen] has to stay out for a couple of games,” Spalletti told the media after the game as quoted by Tutto Napoli.
“For Sunday he can also do it, we have a lot of trust in our doctors.”
Ahead of their trip to face Salernitana, Napoli confirmed on their official website the extent of the injury suffered by Osimhen by stating: “Victor [Osimhen] this morning [Sunday], at the Pineta Grande Clinic, underwent instrumental tests that showed a contracture of the right gastrocnemius.
“Osimhen has already started treatment and his condition will be evaluated in the coming days.”
The Super Eagle has featured for 705 minutes so far this season from nine appearances and scored five goals in the process.
Osimhen's return to action would also be good news for Nigeria and coach Gernot Rohr as they prepare for their two remaining 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying matches against Liberia and Cape Verde.
The Super Eagles are currently topping Group C on nine points from four matches and will next face Liberia on November 13 at Stade Ibn Batouta before they wind up their group matches with a home game against Cape Verde at Teslim Balogun Stadium on November 16.
The latest win helped Napoli to cement their top position on the 20-team table with 31 points from 11 matches, while Milan are second also on 31 points, and Inter Milan are third on 24 points.