'Needs 10-15 days to recover' - Peseiro confirms Osimhen pulled out of friendly due to back injury 

Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro has dismissed reports at home and abroad claiming that Victor Osimhen feigned an injury in order to skip Thursday evening's friendly against Portugal. 

Osimhen  was originally included in the Super Eagles 23-man squad but the Nigerian Federation later adjusted the roster, calling in Cremonese's Cyriel Dessers as a replacement for the Napoli striker. 

It has come to light that Osimhen played through the pain barrier during Napoli's last game before the World Cup break, with Peseiro revealing that the number 9 suffered a back injury against Udinese but managed to soldier on until the final whistle. 

An MRI has confirmed that the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup winner will be sidelined for at least ten days. 

Speaking to NFF TV on Thursday, Peseiro said : "The doctor from Napoli said to our doctor, better you speak to our doctor also, that in the match he (Osimhen) was not replaced because it was a difficult game.

"He played with the pain until the end of the match but he felt pain in the back. 

"He did an MRI and the doctor from Naples sent the report that he needed ten to fifteen days to recover. It has happened with other players, what can I do?"

Although Peseiro has rued the absence of his top scorer, the Portuguese football tactician underlined that he's counting on the players with him in Lisbon.  

"Of course I would like to play with Osimhen. He's a fantastic player. I'd like to play with all the best players but it can happen, it's not easy.

"I am not happy for that, I am sad. Now I don't think about Victor Osimhen. For me what is more important is the players that are here. "
 

Osimhen has missed all the friendlies played by the Super Eagles in 2022, against Mexico, Ecuador and Algeria. 

The 23-year-old has registered fifteen goals in 23 appearances for the Super Eagles since making his debut in a friendly against Togo five years ago. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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