Serie A: Osimhen furious with Garcia, the Frenchman in the eye of the storm in Naples

After five Serie A matches, Rudi Garcia, the French coach of Naples, reigning Italian champion, is far from convincing. His team conceded a draw in Bologna on Sunday (0-0). A meeting marked by the anger of Victor Osimhen, the star striker of Naples, when he was replaced a few minutes from the end.

Osimhen, who became an idol at Naples for having guided the team to the title last season (26 goals in 32 matches), came off in the 86th minute, replaced by Giovanni Simeone. The Nigerian had missed a penalty a quarter of an hour earlier. He strongly attacked Garcia, reproaching him for his tactical choices by making him gesture 2, for two players at the forefront of the attack instead of just one.

Garcia, 59, had the difficult task of succeeding Luciano Spalletti on the Neapolitan bench. La Gazzetta dello Sport criticized him, after the match, for having “normalized Naples”, and also did not understand the exits of Osimhen and the other offensive star, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in the 76th minute.

Asked about Osimhen’s attitude, the former coach of Lille, Lyon and Marseille indicated “having spoken to him after the match, but that remains between us, in the team”. The sulphurous president and owner of Naples, Aurelio de Laurentiis, seemed to want to calm things down by posting a message on X (formerly Twitter) at the final whistle where he congratulated “everyone”.

The pressure on Rudi Garcia could increase in the event of a poor performance against Udinese, at home this Wednesday (8:45 p.m.). Naples is 7th in Serie A after five days, and won its first match in the Champions League group stage, on the pitch of the Portuguese Braga last Wednesday (1-2). Their next clash in C1 will be against Real Madrid on Tuesday October 3.