SSC Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen has been ruled out of his club’s latest pre-season match, while Spartak Moscow of Russia winger, Victor Moses is still in doubt for an appearance with his club in the UEFA Champions League qualifies.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, while Moses is still set to face a late fitness test to ascertain if he would be able to play for Spartak on Wednesday night, Osimhen has already been excluded from his club’s squad that will play Wisla Krakow of Poland.
Napoli’s coach, Luciano Spaletti, who listed only one striker for the game, apparently wants to rest Osimhen ahead of the new season in the Italian Serie A, as they open their campaign on August 22 at home against newly promoted Venezia.
Osimhen, who overcame several setbacks to score ten goals in his first season with Napoli, after his big money transfer from Lille Metropole of France, has already netted seven goals in three pre-season games, including a brace against German Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich.
On the other hand, Spartak Moscow are sweating on the fitness of Moses, few hours into the first leg of their UCL third qualifying round clash with Benfica of Portugal, ahead of which the Russian club’s coach, Rui Vitoria admitted the former Super Eagles’ star is nursing a knock.
Vitoria disclosed that Moses suffered a minor injury during their last league game against Krylya Sovetov Samara, during which the winger-cum-wing-back was replaced after an hour and it has been confirmed that the substitution was not a tactical decision by the Portuguese tactician.
The coach went on to admit he would sorely miss Moses, who emerged one of the Moscow-based side’s standout players in pre-season, with four goals to his name and, though he is yet to score in competitive matches this term, the 30-year-old star is always a threat to any opposition.
Moses did participate in group training with his colleagues at Spartak in their last workout on Tuesday, thereby giving an iota of hope for his availability against Benfica on Wednesday night, even as the coach reeled out names of those among his players that are in doubt.
Vitoria told Spartak’s official website: “Promes probably won’t be able to play, Maslov is also not ready yet. Moses and Dzhikiya picked up slight injuries in the last match.
“We hope they will be able to help us. Ponce has just returned from the Olympics still needs time to be ready again, but will be in the squad.”
