Victor Osimhen: “Torino goal the most important of my career so far”

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen spoke with DAZN after his matchwinning performance for the Partenopei in their 1-0 triumph over Torino on Matchday Eight of the 2021/22 Italian Serie A season.

The 22-year-old striker has fired a stern warning at Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan and other title rivals, informing them that Napoli have no plans of stopping after they picked up their eighth consecutive win in the league to return to the top of the standings.

“It’s amazing, the atmosphere was really crazy. I think we deserved the win, it’s very special to our fans, as they never stopped cheering us from the first whistle to the last,” Osimhen told DAZN, as reported by Football Italia.

“I knew the ball was going to come, so I had to anticipate. It’s an opportunity to get the goal, I am really happy with the win and we won’t stop. This shows how this is a difficult league and we have to continue this momentum.”

Chances were few and far between for the Nigerian striker as Torino’s defenders did well to keep the youngster far from their box; his goal came from the only clear-cut chance that came his way in the second half.

After a difficult spell at the club last season that saw him suffer from the effects of COVID and also injure his shoulder while on international duty, Victor Osimhen has proven to be an instrumental member of the Napoli team this season, justifying his African record price tag of €70 million Napoli paid to lure him from Lille in 2019.

He has praised his teammates for their constant communication, stating that they helped him to remain calm and stay grounded during the match despite its tough nature.

“In this kind of game, you are nervous, because the opponents continue to press us and it was important for me to fight back. Kudos to my teammates, as they gave me the confidence to keep calm and keep going,” Osimhen stated.

“The way the goal came, it was so emotional, the fans were waiting for the goal and to get the opportunity to score, I am very happy, above all because it allowed us to get the win.”

Osimhen’s joy was palpable as first club-record goalscorer Dries Mertens jumped on him with delight, before captain Lorenzo Insigne embraced him warmly after he scored what turned out to be the winner.

Victor Osimhen spoke to DAZN after the victory over Torino. “Was this the most important goal of my career? Yes, because it was very important to win.” The Lagos-born striker also confirmed he cannot grant interviews in Italian yet because he had not mastered the language sufficiently enough.

Victor Osimhen is averaging a goal every 105 minutes of action for Napoli this season and is leading their title charge from the front line with his goals and overall contribution. He has scored eight times for the Partenopei already this season.