Osimhen believes in Napoli's Champions League dream

By Sports Desk March 15, 2023

Victor Osimhen believes Napoli are good enough to win the Champions League after they reached the competition's quarter-finals for the first time with an emphatic win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Osimhen scored twice as Napoli ran out 3-0 winners in Wednesday's last-16 second leg at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, securing a 5-0 aggregate success over last season's Europa League winners.

Piotr Zielinski also netted from the penalty spot as Napoli posted their fourth win in as many home Champions League games this season – the Partenopei have scored three or more goals in each of those victories.

With Napoli's tally of 26 Champions League goals unmatched by any other team this campaign, Osimhen believes the runaway Serie A leaders are capable of delivering European glory.

"I think anything is possible and we have the squad to achieve this dream," Osimhen told BT Sport.

"We want to go step by step and we will see what happens at the end of the season.

"It feels good to make history with this win. It was huge win. Congratulations to the team on a good performance from the whole squad."

Asked whether he had any preference regarding Napoli's quarter-final opponents, the striker said: "We are a top club and it would be good to have a draw with another top club.

"It's going to be a huge match, it's going to be great. We are ready for it, and we are ready for any big team we might have to play." 

Osimhen became the first Napoli player to score in both legs of a European Cup/Champions League knockout tie and he passed up the chance for a hat-trick by allowing Zielinski to take the Partenopei's penalty.

"With the penalty, Zielinski asked me if he could take it," he revealed. "Of course, I'm a team player and it doesn't matter who scores as long as the team achieves success. 

"I know my goals will come with or without that penalty. It's good to have that kind of mentality in the squad, and I'm happy about the three goals."

Zielinski believes Napoli's competitors should be nervous about the prospect of facing them, saying: "We want to do the best we can. It is obvious that everyone wants to go all the way.

"Whoever we get in the draw, we want to play our football and go through to the next round. Whoever we get, we will be ready to fight.

"I think teams should be afraid of this Napoli team. We are in great shape and everyone who faces us struggles to get a result. We can do great things this season."

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