Victor Osimhen was ‘sad’ and didn’t ‘understand why’ Napoli’s official TikTok account posted videos mocking him, claims Nigeria boss Jose Peseiro – as the former Real Madrid coach urges the star striker to ‘stay calm’
- Victor Osimhen’s future at Napoli is in doubt after controversial TikTok videos
- Peseiro sympathised with the forward and said the videos ‘cannot happen’
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’
Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro has condenmed the two videos posted on Napoli’s official TikTok account which mocked their star striker Victor Osimhen.
The first video showed the 24-year-old appealing for a penalty, with sped-up audio captioned ‘Gimme penalty please’ before showing him putting the spot-kick wide .
A second video, which has been circulated online and since deleted, compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’ – widely viewed as a racial slur.
This led to Osimhen’s agent suggesting that the player could take legal action. In a statement soon after, Napoli broke their silence as they said: ‘Calcio Napoli, wishing to avoid any exploitation of the issue, point out that we never wanted to offend or mock Victor Osimhen, who is a treasure of this club.’
Regardless, the episode has clearly unsettled the 24-year-old, whose national team coach has been vocal in his support of the elite forward.
Jose Peseiro blasted Napoli for the bizzare posting of the videos that mocked their star man
Napoli posted videos on their TikTok which mocked Osimhen for appealing for a penalty in a goalless draw against Bologna and his subsequent miss from the spot
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A second video, allegedly from the club’s account, compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’
‘That video? From the club?’ He told Sky Sports. ‘From the outside is one thing but a video from the club, that is the worst. That cannot happen.
‘He was sad because it is not easy for anyone. He does not understand it. He does not understand why.’
Osimhen fired Napoli to a first league title in over 30 years last season and scored 26 goals to become Serie A’s first African Capocannoniere. He is adored among the supporters in Naples- almost to as high a degree as Diego Maradona.
This, as Peseiro continued, added to the bizarre nature of the incident. ‘He helps the team to the league and now they are mocking him?’ He said. ‘Osimhen is a star. Two years ago, he was not a star. Now, he is a star. And when you are a star, everybody wants more, more, more.
‘The others can do bad but if Osimhen does bad it is different because people demand more from the players who can do more.
Chelsea have added Napoli striker Victor Osimhen to their list of potential transfer targets
‘It was a bad thing that Napoli did. Of course, he would prefer they do not do it. But my advice is to stay calm. Do not play against the fans. Do not lose balance.
‘Keep the mentality. Keep the personality. That is what the very best players do. And he can be at the top.’
On Thursday it emerged that Chelsea have reportedly added the forward to their list of potential transfer targets in the January window.
The Blues are still seeking reinforcements up front despite signing Nicolas Jackson for £30m in the summer, while Armando Broja is also regaining full fitness.
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