Napoli's Victor Osimhen to miss AC Milan Serie A clash and a doubt Champions League tie with adductor injury

An adductor injury threatens to rule Osimhen out for several weeks

Victor Osimhen is set to miss the first of Napoli's triple header with AC Milan on Sunday but could yet be available for at least one of the Champions League quarterfinal matches between the Italian giants. The Nigerian striker returned from international duty with an injury to his left adductor and will not be part of Luciano Spalletti's squad when they return to action in Serie A. No timescale has been set for Osimhen to make his return. Napoli say he will be reassessed next week.

However, in what would potentially be a hammer blow for the Serie A leaders, president Aurelio De Laurentiis told reporters that Osimhen "should be out for a couple of weeks, we hope." Napoli play the first leg of their quarterfinal at the San Siro on April 12.

Osimhen's inspired form has been crucial in Napoli's rise to the top of the table this season with the 24 year old registering 25 goals in 29 appearances. However, his absence in domestic matches would hardly be that keenly felt. Luciano Spalletti's side have earned a 19 point lead over second placed Lazio with 11 games to spare; it increasingly seems to be a matter of when not if they are crowned with the Scudetto.

Twenty3

It is in the Champions League that Osimhen's absence would be most keenly felt. He scored three goals in Napoli's 5-0 aggregate win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the round of 16  and has the technical and physical qualities to test Milan's back three entirely on his own, let alone with Kvicha Kvaratskelia and Hirving Lozano for support.

Spalletti will at least be able to take solace from the fact that his side have weathered Osimhen's absence rather impressively in the past, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 matches without their star striker this season. Milan may not be entirely delighted to see his potential replacement enter the fray either, as Giovanni Simeone scored the winner for the Partenopei when the current and likely future Italian champions met in Serie A earlier this season.