Victor Osimhen to face new challenge under Walter Mazzarri

Napoli Football Club has announced its new manager, confirming the signing of Walter Mazzarri on interim basis for the remainder of the season.

The appointment signals the end of Rudi Garcia’s tenure as the club’s manager, following his sack.

This coincides with Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen’s return from injury as he returns to take back his spot in the Napoli lineup.

Garcia’s strained relationship with Victor Osimhen during his brief six-month stint at Napoli is well-documented.

Following his exit from Al Nassr last season, Garcia was brought in to succeed Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to their Scudetto triumph after a 33-year wait.

Spalletti, intriguingly, returned to coaching sooner than expected, taking up the helm as Italy’s national team coach.

However, Garcia’s tenure didn’t match the success achieved by Spalletti, despite Osimhen’s prolific 31-goal contribution to Napoli’s previous season.

The French coach couldn’t replicate the same managerial finesse exhibited by Spalletti, resulting in an inconsistent run for Napoli this season.

Under Garcia’s leadership this season, Napoli secured six wins, with three draws and three defeats in 12 league games. This inconsistency has left the reigning Serie A champions languishing in fourth place on the league standings, trailing Inter Milan by ten points.

Walter Mazzarri, a familiar face at Napoli having previously coached the club from 2009 to 2013, steps in as the interim manager.

The 62-year-old Italian tactician brings a wealth of experience, having managed clubs like Inter Milan, Watford, Torino, Sampdoria, among others.