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Victor Osimhen's goal-scoring prowess, impactful presence on the field, and big-game mentality make him the X-factor for Napoli in their Champions League clash against Barcelona.
Napoli’s clash with Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 second leg promises to be a thrilling encounter. Victor Osimhen, Napoli's prolific striker, holds the key to upsetting the odds and securing a victory for his team. Let's delve into the reasons why Osimhen will play a pivotal role in potentially shocking Barcelona.
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1. Pau Cubarsi
Barcelona’s 17-year-old defensive sensation is expected to start in the second-leg clash against Napoli after sitting out the first in favour of the more experienced Inigo Martinez.’
While it might seem unfair to flag a teenager as a potential weak point for Osimhen to exploit, Cubarsi can hold his own and has established himself as a regular in the heart of Barcelona’s defence, starting each of the last seven league games for the Blaugrana.
However, his name being here as an avenue through which Barcelona can be got is not due to his lack of quality, or the cliche ‘lack of experience', but rather to his underdeveloped physical profile.
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The youngster had an impressive showing against the physically imposing duo of Verdat Muriqi and Cyle Larin in the 1-0 victory over Mallorca on Friday but showed weaknesses in those physical duels, weaknesses a much better forward like Osimhen will exploit.
Cubarsi only won two of his five aerial duels in that clash, and only half of his six ground duels attempted, as Kosovan forward Muriqi proved a handful, but Barcelona managed to keep a clean sheet.
It remains to be seen if a defence that includes Cubarsi can manage the same against Osimhen, who had already proved too much in the first leg against the much more physical Inigo Martinez.
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2. Form under Calzona
As Pulse Sport stated in the match report of the first leg at the Diego Armando Maradona, “A first game under new leadership seemingly jaded the hosts, as they struggled in the opening exchanges, with Barcelona dominating play.”
It was Napoli’s first game under the leadership of Francesco Calzona and it took a while for them to settle into the clash. However, ahead of the second-leg, the relationship between the manager and his new squad is four more games mature.
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They have not suffered a loss in any of those games, and the run includes a 6-1 drubbing of Sassuolo followed up by an impressive 2-1 victory against Juventus. Safe to say Barcelona will face a different Napoli.
Osimhen is also enjoying life under Calzona, as five of his 13 goals this season have come in the five games under the Italian tactician, including the first-leg clash against Barcelona.
3. Big-Game Mentality and Composure
In high-stakes matches like the Champions League round of 16 second leg against Barcelona, experience and composure play a significant role. Osimhen has demonstrated a knack for stepping up in crucial moments and maintaining his poise under pressure.
His ability to stay composed in front of goal and make wise decisions in critical junctures could be the difference-maker for Napoli in their quest to shock Barcelona.
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