AFCON QUALIFIERS: Napoli may stop Osimhen

Italian side Napoli may not release Nigeria international Victor Osimhen for this month’s 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying quick-fire double against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, Sportinglife.ng reports.

The Super Eagles take on the Leone Stars at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City on Friday, 13th November before flying to Freetown for the return game on Tuesday, 17th November at the Siaka Stevens Stadium.

Osimhen, who was excused from his country’s international friendly matches against Algeria and Tunisia held in Austria last month amidst coronavirus uncertainty at Napoli, now faces a similar scenario at the Serie A side ahead of the international window.

According to highly respected journalist, Carlo Alvino, Napoli’s legal team are working to avoid sending players out on international duty in November because of the Covid-19.

“Covid infections are increasing and disquiet is growing in Naples homes in view of the next November 15. The club’s legal advisors have been at work for days to try to avoid the summons of the blue members. Given the worrying health situation, it is absolutely necessary for the club to prevent players from joining their respective national teams, so as to avoid other risks of contagion,” Alvino shared the news via his Twitter account @Carloalvino.

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Italy is witnessing a resurgence of coronavirus infections, reporting on Sunday its highest number since the beginning of the pandemic with more than 21,200 cases – double compared with the previous week.

One of the most densely populated cities in Europe, Naples makes up the lion’s share of the infection tally in its surrounding Campania region, where daily cases have increased eightfold in less than a month to 3,669 on Saturday, the second highest in Italy after the badly hit Lombardy region in the north.