Former Manchester City star, Mario Balotelli, has voiced his criticism of Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen’s decision to relinquish penalty duties for Napoli.
Osimhen’s choice came in the wake of a TikTok controversy that had erupted following his previous missed penalty against Bologna.
In Napoli’s recent Italian Serie A match against Udinese, Osimhen, who typically takes penalties for the team, opted out when presented with a penalty opportunity. The ongoing dispute with the club, stemming from a contentious TikTok video after his earlier penalty miss, played a significant role in his decision.
Balotelli expressed his disapproval of Osimhen’s choice during an interview with TV Play, as reported by Owngoal Nigeria. Balotelli was notably displeased with the Nigerian striker’s decision to step away from penalty duties in the Udinese match.
“Osimhen is a friend of mine, I greet him. But in the penalty miss against Udinese, he disappointed me a bit. He should have kicked and not Zielinski,” he said.
The former Liverpool striker went further, speaking about the TikTok video posted by Napoli on their official account, and Osimhen’s decision not to celebrate his goal against Udinese.
“That video is meaningless. Victor has a personality, there’s no denying that. The goal he scores is complicated, don’t think it’s easy. Didn’t he rejoice? He did well, he copies me,” he concluded.