According to Italian media outlet Calciomercato, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen returned to Italy after international duty with Nigeria without his protective facemask. The 24‑year‑old, who has been in sensational form this season and is one of the most sought‑after forwards in Europe, has been wearing the mask since a collision with Milan Škriniar during an Inter versus Napoli match in November 2021. That incident left him with multiple fractures to his left orbital bone and cheekbone.
Osimhen has already scored 25 goals for Napoli this campaign, helping the club to the top of the Serie A table and securing a first‑ever UEFA Champions League quarter‑final spot, where they will face AC Milan. The report states that the Eagles forward lost the mask while returning to Italy after Nigeria’s 1‑0 win over Guinea‑Bissau in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on March 27. “The protective mask, in addition to guaranteeing greater safety, has also become a sort of superstitious object,” the article notes. “Osimhen lost it on his return from Nigeria; he realised he no longer had it and, considering the great value given to superstition in Naples, the alarm has already been raised among Neapolitan fans.”
In the meantime, the orthopaedic staff who crafted the original mask are working to design a new one and deliver it to the player as soon as possible. However, it will not be ready for Sunday’s match against Milan, so Osimhen will have to use the old mask in that game. In addition to losing his mask, the former Lille star returned with a knock, missed the AC Milan match on Sunday, and is doubtful for the Champions League quarter‑finals later this month.
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