Super Eagles of Nigeria coach, Jose Peseiro has condemned the two videos posted on Napoli’s official TikTok account which mocked striker Victor Osimhen.
The first video showed the 24-year-old appealing for a penalty, with audio captioned ‘Gimme penalty please’ before showing him putting the spot-kick wide.
A second video, which has since been deleted, compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’ widely viewed as a racial slur.
At the time, Osimhen’s agent suggested that the player could take legal action.
In a statement soon after, Napoli broke their silence as they said: ‘Calcio Napoli, wishing to avoid any exploitation of the issue, point out that we never wanted to offend or mock Victor Osimhen, who is a treasure of this club.’
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has now addressed the controversy ahead of Nigeria’s friendly match with Saudi Arabia.
‘That video? From the club?’ He told Sky Sports. ‘From the outside is one thing but a video from the club, that is the worst. That cannot happen.
‘He was sad because it is not easy for anyone. He does not understand it. He does not understand why.’
Osimhen fired Napoli to a first league title in over 30 years last season and scored 26 goals to become Serie A’s first African Capocannoniere.
‘He helps the team to the league and now they are mocking him?’ He said. ‘Osimhen is a star. Two years ago, he was not a star. Now, he is a star. And when you are a star, everybody wants more, more, more.
‘The others can do bad but if Osimhen does bad it is different because people demand more from the players who can do more.
‘It was a bad thing that Napoli did. Of course, he would prefer they do not do it. But my advice is to stay calm. Do not play against the fans. Do not lose balance.
‘Keep the mentality. Keep the personality. That is what the very best players do. And he can be at the top.’
