28 September 2023 , 16:28
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Italian champions Napoli have clarified they “did not intend to cause offence” to their striker Victor Osimhen after he was mocked on their TikTok account.
Osimhen will ‘reserve the right to take legal action’ after a bizarre video was posted on Tuesday that appeared to make fun of the Nigerian international, following his penalty miss in the weekend Serie A draw against Bologna.
“Napoli, in order to avoid any exploitation on the topic, specifies that it never intended to offend or make fun of Victor Osimhen, the club's technical asset,” a statement released on Thursday evening from the club read.
“To demonstrate this, during the summer training camp, the club firmly rejected every offer received for the striker’s transfer abroad. It is a common experience that on social media, in particular on TikTok, expressive language has always been created with lightness and creativity, without having had, in the case involving Osimhen, any intention of mockery or derision.
“However, if Victor had perceived any offense towards him, that is not what the club intended.”
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Osimhen helped fire Napoli to a first league title in over 30 years last time out with a standout campaign in which he netted 31 goals across all competitions. However, he was the target of a bizarre video posted from the club’s own social media profile on Tuesday.
The video centred on an incident in the club’s scoreless draw against Bologna on Sunday, in which Osimhen spurned the opportunity to win the game from the penalty spot. That proved to be the game’s defining moment and was a rare miss from the Nigerian – who had bagged three goals in his first five matches this season.
Osimhen's goals fired Napoli to their first Serie A title in 23 years (Getty Images)Yet Napoli’s peculiar video focused on Osimhen appealing for the penalty, using a strange and rather unsettling sped-up voice – which appeared to have no context, other than to mock the striker for his attempts to persuade the decision to be given. He started and scored Napoli in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Udinese, but did not take his side's penalty during the match.
There appeared to be tension between Osimhen and new Napoli boss Rudi Garcia, who the striker was seen berating on his way off the pitch after being substituted off late on at Bologna with the visitors chasing a winner. However, an apology to Garcia had seemingly calmed down the episode.
The bizarre episode comes amid the backdrop of Osimhen – who was wanted by Manchester United, among other clubs this summer – not signing a new contract with the Neapolitans, with whom his current deal runs through to the summer of 2025.