Napoli under fire for mocking Victor Osimhen, legal action could follow
Victor Osimhen could take legal action against Napoli after the Serie A club posted an ‘unacceptable’ video on their official TikTok account that has since been deleted.
On Tuesday evening, Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda released a formal statement about the incident.
“What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable,” he wrote on Twitter. “A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted.
“A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news.”
Calenda added: “We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor”.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Napoli posted, and soon deleted, a video of Osimhen’s penalty miss from their clash against Bologna with a sped-up voice dubbed over the top.
Fans react to Osimhen ‘mockery’
Napoli, are under serious attack from football followers, who deemed a video posted on the club’s official TikTok handle as mocking Nigeria international Victor Osimhen for missing a penalty on Sunday.
On Tuesday, the official TikTok of the team, which had posted a video three days ago referring to Osimhen as a coconut head, posted another video trolling the Nigerian for missing the penalty against Bologna.
The action by the club’s social media handle has seen the football faithful from across the world attack the club.
“That video of @sscnapoli trolling @victorosimhen9 over his penalty miss (which I won’t share) is in very poor taste for a player who continually gives 100% for that club. Everyone involved in that decision, from ideation through approval to execution, should be fired, pronto!” Nigerian journalist Collin Udoh wrote.
Social media influencer, Lerry, wrote, “Dear @sscnapoli, your admin is on TikTok trolling your own player, Victor Osimhen for missing a Penalty.
“Is this how you repay a player who fought hard on the field to end your 33 years of waiting for a League title?
“I’ve seen the greatest football players miss penalties that cost their teams yet it didn’t take anything from their greatness. Victor Osimhen is heading to the top and one penalty miss won’t change that.”
Frank Khalid, a British entrepreneur, the owner of West London Film Studios, Elbrook Cash and Carry, also questioned the club.
“How can Napoli make fun of their number one player? I think it’s time for Victor Osimhen to come to Chelsea, it’s his dream club.”
Angered by the post, Buchi Laba wrote on his X account, “Saw the TikTok Video of the official account of Napoli mocking Victor Osimhen because he missed a Penalty and it pissed me off!! They can’t hide it anymore. Disgrace of a football club.”
Moolah added, “Honestly, it smacks of racial slur to me bearing in mind that Giacomo Raspadori in Napoli’s match against Sassuolo about two weeks ago also missed a penalty, yet was never ridiculed or caricatured the way Osimhen has been. I’m truly disappointed and disgusted in SSC Napoli.”
Dami’ Adenuga urges Nigerians to rally around Osimhen.
“Napoli’s account is trolling Victor Osimhen. Nigerians, over to you . You come for one of us, you better be ready for all of us.”
Yusuf Adebanjo said that Osimhen, who was sought-after by many clubs in Europe, should consider leaving the club at the end of the season.
“Surely and without doubt, this should be Osimhen’s last season with the club. For players and their clubs, it’s all about assets and liabilities. When you win, you savour the moment, and when it’s the other way round, you also take it. All parties should behave professionally.”
Alba Svítání added, “He should leave that ungrateful club, they don’t deserve anything good.”
“Imagine being trolled by the same club you work your socks off for, Victor Osimhen needs to leave Napoli,” Elvis Tunde tweeted.
While the video has been taken down following the attacks from fans, a lot of people are equally hoping that the Serie A champions make a public apology to the striker.
Napoli president under investigation over Osimhen deal
Napoli President, Aurelio De Laurentiis, is under investigation for false accounting in the deal that brought Nigerian international, Victor Osimhen, to the Serie A champions in 2020, according to several sources in Italy.
Osimhen moved to Estadio Diego Armando Maradona from Ligue 1 club, Lille for €71.2 million three years ago.
About €20.1 million of the transfer fee was in exchange for four players, who moved to Lille as part of the deal.
The suspicion is that the players’ wages were overvalued in order to inflate capital gains.
Italy’s Financial Police, Guardia Di Finanza, has already gathered documents concerning the deal.
It would be recalled that Napoli were cleared of allegations in a sporting trial concerning inflated capital gains in April 2022.
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