'Slightly ahead' - 2006 World Cup winner rates Osimhen higher than Vlahovic in defensive phase

Speaking ahead of Napoli's blockbuster clash with Juventus in the Serie A, 2006 World Cup winner with Italy's national team, Luca Toni reckons that Victor Osimhen has the edge over Dušan Vlahović in the defensive phase of the game. 

The Juventus striker has fifteen goals to his name in the Italian top-flight this term, bettered only by Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez, while Osimhen has been firing on all cylinders since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations with five goals in three games.

Toni noted that in modern football the role of the number 9 is not all about scoring goals as there are other technical considerations. 

The Super Eagles squad at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was built on defensive solidity, hardly gave chances away and very difficult to break down because the forward players, Osimhen in particular, helped out in defence. 

The top two dirtiest players at the AFCON were Nigerian forwards Lookman and Osimhen who committed 21 and 20 fouls respectively across seven games. 

"In modern football the pressure starts right from the first striker, it's no longer like it used to be. Osimhen, also due to his physical exuberance, in this sense works more than Vlahovic,"Toni said to Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Then obviously it's also a question of what type of pressing he brings your team, but I would say that Victor is slightly ahead in the defensive phase." 

At the Diego Maradona Stadium tonight, Osimhen and his Napoli teammates are aiming to set a club record of five home wins in a row against Juventus.

Igho Kingsley 

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