Napoli in crisis as star duo Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia rage at coach
Tom Weber
- Updated: 25 Sept 2023 19:39 BST
- 3 min read
Napoli boss Rudi Garcia is already under pressure and it appears that his star players are beginning to turn on him.
Transfer speculation will be rife regarding Napoli. Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were two of the most sought-after commodities in the previous transfer window, but both stayed put in a bid to defend Napoli's Serie A title this season.
One important man did, however, depart. Head coach Luciano Spalletti left the club in the summer and Napoli are still reeling from his departure. New boss Rudi Garcia has failed to have any kind of positive impact and "Khvaradona" in particular has struggled to recapture his stunning form.
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The Naples club currently linger in a lowly seventh place in the Serie A table after a 0-0 draw with Bologna, their third consecutive winless game in the league. Last week, against promoted Genoa, Garcia decided to substitute Khvaratskhelia, which prompted an angry reaction from the Georgian.
Trouble brews
Against Bologna, the same thing happened. This time it was Osimhen who was left fuming when Garcia substituted him. The star striker held up two fingers, seemingly suggesting that the French coach should have instead opted for a front two.
Though Osimhen has since apologised to Garcia, according to Fabrizio Romano, the angry reactions from Napoli's two star players suggest that trouble is brewing. Kvaratskhelia has been linked with a move to Arsenal, while Osimhen was the subject of intense summer interest from most of Europe's big clubs and Saudi Arabia.
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If things continue like this, Napoli will not only be forced to move on from Garcia; it could also spell the end of the dynamic duo of Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia, who will both surely be keen to continue their careers elsewhere. At the minute, Napoli are a shell of the team that took Serie A by storm last term.
