Stefano Pioli responds to Osimhen threat in Napoli-AC Milan showdown

After missing last week’s 1-0 loss to AC Milan, the Nigerian striker is set to return for Napoli in Tuesday’s return leg.

Victor Osimhen’s return for Napoli won’t see AC Milan change their tactics, according to manager Stefano Pioli.

The Serie A clubs meet in Naples for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday. AC Milan hold the advantage. They defeated an Osimhen-less Napoli 1-0 in last week’s opening game at San Siro.

The Rossoneri also thrashed Napoli 4-0 on the road on April 2. Osimhen, who has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season, was absent in that game as well.

“He is such a powerful, impressive, and decisive striker so we take his characteristics into account, but at the same time we have our own way of playing football and we won’t move away from that,” Pioli said of Osimhen during Monday’s pre-match press conference.

“We saw with previous Napoli games that a lot of it is about knowing the moment to slow down and speed up, and that is even more crucial with a player like Osimhen.”

Defender Kim Min-jae, midfielder Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, and striker Giovanni Simeone won’t be available for Napoli to play AC Milan, who may be without veteran striker Olivier Giroud due to an Achilles problem.