Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen and his Napoli team faced disappointment in the UEFA Champions League, bowing out after a 3-1 (4-2 aggregate) loss to Barcelona on Tuesday night. Osimhen had previously scored in the first leg, securing a crucial 1-1 draw for the Italian side at the Diego Maradona Stadium.
However, in the return leg at Camp Nou, Osimhen struggled to make an impact, as goals from Fermín López, João Cancelo, and Robert Lewandowski secured a comfortable victory for Barcelona.
As a result of the defeat, Napoli's hopes of progressing to the quarterfinals of the Champions League were dashed.
Furthermore, the Napoli players, including Osimhen, will not receive the financial incentive promised by club President Aurelio di Laurentiis if they had managed to eliminate Barcelona from the competition.
Before the match, Di Laurentiis had announced plans to reward the Napoli players with at least €10 million (equivalent to 17.62 billion naira) in the event of a victory over Barcelona.
However, following the loss, Osimhen and his teammates will no longer be eligible for this monetary reward, representing a significant missed opportunity for the players.
This loss of potential earnings is particularly noteworthy for Osimhen, given that his gross annual salary at Napoli amounts to €12,820,000, making him the highest earner at the club.
With a weekly salary of €246,538, Osimhen's financial prospects are considerable, especially considering he still has three years and €38,460,000 gross remaining on his contract with Napoli.
Despite his current contractual situation, it is widely speculated that Osimhen will depart Napoli in the upcoming summer transfer window, with interest from clubs in both England and France seeking to secure his services.
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