Osimhen vs Finidi: Italian Outlet Explains the Possible Reason for the Outburst of Super Eagles Star

• Victor Osimhen made headlines with a social media outburst against Finidi George following Nigeria's loss to the Republic of Benin
• The 25-year-old's reaction followed reports of the coach accusing him of deliberately skipping crucial FIFA qualification games
• An Italian media outlet has shed light on the possible reasons for the Napoli forward's reaction to the reports involving coach Finidi

Victor Osimhen made waves in Nigerian football circles when he took to social media to criticise former Super Eagles coach, Finidi George, after the country's defeat against Benin Republic.

The 25-year-old lashed out at the 53-year-old manager following a report that Finidi had used him as an excuse for the team's loss in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The report, courtesy of media outlet Score Nigeria, stated that Finidi stressed the difficulty of managing players of the Super Eagles.

Nigeria vs South Africa: Finidi George shares bullish four-word message ahead of Bafana showdown

Football

It also mentioned that Osimhen opted out of the fixtures against South Africa and Benin Republic, citing an injury.

However, Italian football outlet, La Gazzetta dello Sport, has stated that the forward's rant was spurred by his frustrations with his transfer situation.

Italian outlet on Osimhen's outburst

In a recent publication, the outlet highlighted the numerous transfer links surrounding the forward, suggesting that these could be a significant factor in his outburst.

It emphasises that Finidi was unfortunately caught in the crossfire of Osimhen's frustration, as the forward would have preferred to stay out of the media for negative reasons while seeking a transfer away from Napoli.

The former Wolfsburg forward is currently linked with transfers to a flurry of elite clubs across Europe, including English Premier League sides, Chelsea and Arsenal, as well as French Ligue 1 giants, Paris Saint-Germain.

FIFA WCQ: Nigeria vs South Africa: Hugo Broos identifies Super Eagles' most lethal forward ahead of FIFA qualifier

Football

Victor Osimhen risks Super Eagles ban

In another report, Sports Brief stated that Napoli forward, Osimhen, faces the risk of a ban from the Nigeria national team following his criticism of coach Finidi.

The 2023 African Footballer of the Year expressed his displeasure on social media over a report attributed to Finidi, which suggested that Osimhen had feigned an injury.

However, a recent update has indicated that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is contemplating a ban on the forward unless he issues an apology.