Victor Osimhen and Napoli’s journey in the UEFA Champions League came to an end following their 3-1 defeat (aggregate 4-2) to Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Osimhen had initially secured a 1-1 draw for the Italian title-holders in the first leg at the Diego Maradona Stadium by scoring.
Despite his efforts, the Nigerian striker was unable to make an impact in the return leg, with Barcelona securing a win through goals from Fermín López, João Cancelo, and Robert Lewandowski at the Camp Nou.
This loss prevented Napoli from advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Moreover, this elimination means Osimhen and his Napoli colleagues will miss out on the financial incentive promised by the club’s President Aurelio di Laurentiis.
Di Laurentiis had pledged a minimum of €10 million to the players for defeating Barcelona and advancing past Tuesday’s match, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
Unfortunately, this financial bonus will no longer be forthcoming for Osimhen and his teammates.
This is particularly significant given Osimhen’s status as the top earner at Napoli, with a gross annual salary of €12,820,000, breaking down to a weekly wage of €246,538.
The 25-year-old, who has three years and €38,460,000 gross remaining on his contract with Napoli, is likely to depart the Italian side this summer, with interest from clubs in England and France.
