As Verona easily holds Serie A table toppers 0-0 without influential their Nigeria international forward

Simone Verdi of Hellas Verona aims at goal from a freekick against Napoli FC at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday

It is increasingly evident that manager Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli FC maybe a far from the finished product without influential Nigeria international forward Victor Osimhen.

Napoli continues on their stretch of poor form in recent matches as struggling visiting Hellas Verona easily fended off the Gli Azzurri (The Blues) to a scoreless stalemate at the awe inspiring Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Saturday.

Nigerian bomber Osimhen, who is recovering from injury layoff since the end of the last international break rejoined the team for the Verona encounter but was forced to watch most of the the action from the substitute bench.

The Nigeria international forward last played competitively for Napoli March 19 scoring twice in his side’s 4-0 of annihilation of midtable Torino in a Serie fixture before heading for Nigeria for international engagements only to return nursing an injury.

Three games in Osimhen’s absence later, Napoli has only won once (1-0 against Lecce) in their April 7 Serie A faceoff, and lost twice to rivals, AC Milan (0-4 in Serie A on April 2nd and 0-1 on April 12th in a UCL quarter finals tie).

Though, still occupying the top spot on Serie A table, Napoli has now lost some ground to distant second placed Lazio, who shrunk the Partenopei (The Parthenopeans) 18 points lead down to 13 in Osimhen’s absence.

The Nigerian was subbed in for Giacomo Rapadori in the 71st minute against Verona and was almost on target but for his shot being repelled by the woodwork in the 83rd minute.

However, it was too, little too late for the Serie A leaders as Verona managed to hold on to what might yet be a very important point in their fight to avoid relegation.