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Peter Akinbo.
Former Italian striker, Claudio Bellucci believes Giacomo Raspadori is a more functional option to lead the line for Napoli than Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen.
Belluci highlights Raspadori’s movement amd team work as the edge which the 22-year-old has over the Nigeria international.
Osimhen and Raspadori have only played 84 minutes together so far this season and just once did they both start together in the match against Lecce at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, until the end of the first half.
Between the physical problems suffered by the Nigerian and a compatibility on the pitch still to be refined, the feeling is that having both of them on the pitch makes one of them less ineffective.
“They tell me Raspadori plays like me, I like him, how he moves. He is doing very well, he is a natural with both feet,” Bellucci told Calcio Napoli.
“The return of Osimhen is a strong point, we have seen the anger with which he scored against Ajax. At the moment, I see Raspadori as more functional to what Spaletti wants because he makes the team play.”
However, Belluci revealed that should the team make use of a counter-attacking style, then Osimhen is the best option.
“Then if you want to defend yourself and start again from the back then Osimhen is perfect. I would always like someone like him who attacks from deep to be on my team,” Belluci added.
The 23-year-old was sidelined since picking up an injury in Partenopei’s 4-1 win against Liverpool on September 9.
However, the Super Eagles striker returned from injury with a bang, as he scored the final goal to wrap up the show as Napoli defeated the Dutch champions 4-2 in Naples.
Osimhen came off the bench and benefited from a Daley Blind mistake to score his first Champions League goal of the season, with the game delicately poised at 3-2.
The Nigerian has now registered three goals in six appearances across all competitions for Napoli this season.
For their match on Sunday against Bologna, reports indicate that Osimhen is ahead of Raspadori to lead the line and Simeone will look to make his mark on the game with an introduction in the second half.
