Victor Osimhen may win the Ballon d’Or if Napoli win the UEFA Champions League

Victor Osimhen has an opportunity to stake a sensible declare for the 2023 Ballon d’Or with a deep run within the UEFA Champions League

The 2022/23 UEFA Champions League quarter-final draws may outdo its function of manufacturing the competitors’s winner and go a step additional by figuring out the most effective participant on the planet for 2023.

So what’s the correlation between the UCL quarter and semi-final attracts which was completed in the course of March 2023 and the Ballon d’Or ceremony nonetheless to return in October 2023?

The straightforward reply is Victor Osimhen, who leads the road for Napoli and is heading in the right direction to spearhead a historic season for Gli Azzuri each domestically and continentally.

Napoli have a transparent path to the UCL Remaining

Napoli will play in opposition to AC Milan within the quarterfinals of this season’s Champions League in what’s the solely intra-country tie of the final eight.

Because it stands, Napoli are the clear favourites to win their first-ever UCL quarter-final sport and make additional historical past by advancing to the semis for the primary time as nicely.

The Neapolitans are the undisputed finest group in Italy this season with an 18-point hole forward of the chasing pack which incorporates AC Milan who’re 20 factors adrift of their Champions League opponents after 26 Serie A matches.

Napoli are additionally one of many absolute best groups in Europe with simply three losses to their identify all season lengthy, certainly one of which was within the Champions League, a 2-0 defeat away at Liverpool in a dead-rubber group stage sport.

AC Milan alternatively are arguably the worst group left within the Champions League proper now, having solely certified for the quarters on the expense of a good worse group, Tottenham.

The truth that they’ve already overwhelmed Milan this season, 2-1 at San Siro of their solely assembly up to now this season additional makes the purpose that this must be a simple win for Napoli.

A win in opposition to Milan sends Napoli to the semi-final the place they’ll face the winner between Benfica and Inter Milan, two very beatable groups from Napoli’s perspective.

In equity, Inter are one of many three groups to have overwhelmed Napoli this season whereas Benfica have solely misplaced one sport all season which signifies the semis is not going to be straightforward for Napoli.

With all that has been mentioned, Napoli are nonetheless maybe the biggest winners of this UCL quarter and semi-final attracts they usually can nonetheless be anticipated to win because of the firepower of Victor Osimhen.

How does this concern Victor Osimhen and the Ballon d’Or?

Their 18-point lead in Serie A way Napoli are set to win solely their third league title, the primary since 1990, largely because of Osimhen’s exploits because the group and league high scorer.

With the above projections, Napoli are additionally heading in the right direction to make all of it the way in which to the UEFA Champions League remaining for the primary time of their 118-year historical past.

In the event that they do make it to the ultimate, they’ll play in opposition to one out of a tough pool of opponents together with Actual Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich or Manchester Metropolis.

And as each soccer follower is aware of, one-off finals are much more unpredictable and will go both approach, so Napoli profitable the 2023 UEFA Champions League is not as far-fetched because it was earlier than the attracts have been made.

Osimhen already has 4 targets in 5 Champions League appearances this season, if he one way or the other manages to steer Napoli to the trophy and even simply the ultimate with extra targets, he immediately enters the Ballon d’Or dialog as a reputable candidate.

If all of the above situations come to go, it could imply Osimhen has ended a 33-year watch for a league title for Napoli whereas additionally changing into the first African to win the Serie A top scorer award.

Whereas additionally main the membership to Champions League milestones which stack up for a Ballon d’Or consideration when the awards come round in October.

It’s price contemplating that the awards ceremony will occur lower than a 12 months after the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the highest performers in Qatar reminiscent of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are nonetheless favourites to jostle for the highest prize.

Nonetheless, with each gamers out of the Champions League already, Osimhen may very well be the third man in that blend with the easiest on the planet if he wins the league and Champions League double with a Golden Boot award to help it.

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