Napoli are sweating over Victor Osimhen’s return for the first leg of their all‑Italian Champions League quarter‑final, as they head into possibly the biggest two matches in the club’s history while in unconvincing form. The southern Italy side need just four more wins from nine games to clinch their first league title since 1990, having secured a 2‑1 victory at Lecce. Yet the win was aided only by a bizarre own goal, and before Antonino Gallo’s unwitting backpass slipped through his surprised goalkeeper’s fingers, Napoli had been on the back foot against lowly Lecce. Although the three points bring Napoli one step closer to the crown, the performance was little improvement on the previous weekend’s 4‑0 home thrashing by Milan.
Napoli have never before reached the last eight of the Champions League. Their progression, coupled with a draw that places them opposite Europe’s contemporary powerhouses, has turned them into dark horses. However, as the season has unfolded, Napoli have become increasingly dependent on the dynamism of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. A thigh injury to Serie A’s leading scorer has underscored his importance to the team’s overall play in the last two matches. “It does become difficult without him, because he has this way of running into space and a physical presence; he can draw everyone to him and then create space,” Spalletti said after the Lecce win. The coach will be hoping the Nigerian international returns on Wednesday, especially as Napoli will likely be without the 24‑year‑old’s main replacement, Giovanni Simeone, who also suffered a thigh injury after coming on as a substitute on Friday.
Osimhen has remained relatively injury‑free this season—a contrast to previous campaigns—and his impact on Napoli is evident. In addition to his 25 goals in all competitions, he provides the perfect outlet when things go awry. He works tirelessly to chase down and hold long balls from under‑pressure teammates, allowing midfielders to break through opposition presses and latch onto his lay‑offs. “When I say that I always put the team first, those aren’t just words. You can see that in how I play, right?” Osimhen told France Football on Saturday. “It’s hunger, something I’ve always had inside myself. And thankfully here with coach Spalletti you don’t have any choice — at Napoli the attackers are the first line of defence.”
Milan coach Stefano Pioli will have most of his first‑choice players available, aside from the injured Pierre Kalulu, after making numerous changes for their goalless draw with Empoli last Friday. The San Siro, a venue that has hosted many big European nights, will be packed again on Wednesday as Milan chase their first semi‑final since they were continental kings for the seventh and last time in 2007. Milan may not have beaten Empoli, but they tried hard, registering 23 shots and 70 percent possession in a dominant performance that lacked a finishing touch. Pioli is expected to stick with the same XI that gave Napoli the biggest beating of their otherwise triumphant season, hoping that Milan’s European pedigree will shine through.
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