Serie A: Osimhen Ends Season On Disappointing Note As Napoli Miss Out On UCL

epa08683521 Parma's Simone Iacoponi (L) and Napoli's Victor Osimhen (R) in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Parma Calcio and S.S.C. Napoli at Ennio Tardini stadium in Parma, Italy, 20 September 2020. EPA/ELISABETTA BARACCHI

Victor Osimhen suffered a disappointing end to his debut season in Serie A as his Napoli side missed out on Champions League qualification after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Verona on the final day of the season.

Napoli went into the encounter needing to win to secure their place amongst Europe’s elite next season, but they were strangely subdued throughout, never quite mustering the urgency their circumstance required with Osimhen also lacklustre.

While Osimhen was huffing and puffing at the Diego Maradona stadium, his former side Lille were claiming a first Ligue 1 title in ten years.

Following a goalless first half, Gennaro Gattuso’s side went ahead in the 61st-minute through Amir Rrahmani but their lead lasted all of eight minutes as the visitors restored parity through Davide Faraoni.

With Juventus winning at Bologna and AC Milan beating Atalanta in Bergamo, Napoli desperately needed a winning goal to render results elsewhere inconsequential but the goal never came as they limped to a disappointing end to the campaign in fifth place.

Juve’s 4-1 victory at Bologna with Alvaro Morata scoring a brace and Federico Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot also on target helped Andrea Pirlo salvage their season as they snuck into fourth place.

Meanwhile, AC Milan secured second place, with a brace of penalties from Franck Jessie lifting them above opponents Atalanta who ended in third position.