Ex-Juventus star defends Osimhen's hard work post-missed penalty

Posted : 05 March 2024

Former Juventus midfielder and retired Italy international Emanuele Giaccherini has come to the defense of Victor Osimhen after the Nigerian striker's penalty miss during Napoli's 2-1 triumph over Juventus in a Serie A match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday night.

Since the commencement of the 2022-2023 season, Osimhen has faced scrutiny for missing three out of seven penalties he has taken in Serie A, making him the player with the most missed penalties in the league during this period. The latest penalty opportunity came against Juventus when the referee awarded Napoli a penalty after Joseph Nonge's tackle on Osimhen's ankle in the 85th minute.

Despite Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny saving Osimhen's spot-kick, Giacomo Raspadori scored on the rebound, securing Napoli's victory. In response to the criticism surrounding Osimhen's penalty misses, Giaccherini highlighted the striker's broader contributions to the team. He emphasized that evaluating a player solely based on missed penalties is unfair and doesn't consider Osimhen's overall impact on the pitch.

In a post-match interview on Radio Crc, as reported by Il Napolista, Giaccherini stated, "Penalties are wrong, we know. That's not what you judge a player by. What I look at is the work that Osimhen does, bringing with him more than one opponent. Kvaratskhelia also benefited from this." Giaccherini believes that the partnership between Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has the potential to be Napoli's added value in both Italian and European competitions.

Giaccherini's defense of Osimhen goes beyond the missed penalties, focusing on the striker's ability to draw multiple opponents, create opportunities, and contribute to the team's overall performance. The former Juventus star acknowledges that the work Osimhen does on the pitch extends beyond scoring penalties, and he believes the Osimhen-Kvaratskhelia duo could play a crucial role in Napoli's success in Italy and Europe.

Osimhen's performance has shown resilience since his return from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, with five goals in four appearances, including a notable hat-trick against Sassuolo. Despite the spotlight on his penalty misses, Giaccherini's perspective sheds light on the broader impact Osimhen has on Napoli's gameplay and the potential for sustained success with the Nigerian striker leading the attack.

Ex-Juventus star defends Osimhen's hard work post-missed penalty

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