'His talent there is unmatched' — Ex-AC Milan coach explains where Icardi surpasses Osimhen
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Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi || Image credit: Imago

'His talent there is unmatched' — Ex-AC Milan coach explains where Icardi surpasses Osimhen

Faruq Ibrahim 23:23 - 08.10.2024

Former Fiorentina boss Fatih Terim highlighted the difference between Victor Osimhen and his strike partner Mauro Icardi.

Former AC Milan coach Fatih Terim explained the difference between Victor Osimhen and his striker partner Mauro Icardi. 

The Argentine was Galatasaray's starting striker, and he led the Cim-Bom to the Super Lig title last season. With the arrival of Osimhen in the summer, it is believed that coach Okan Buruk would play both together as a strike pair. 

While Osimhen is a new, exciting option, Icardi is also a quality option, and like Osimhen, he is a Cappocannoiere winner. Terim, who has coached in both Italy and Turkey, recently drew a disparity between both players. 

What he said 

The former Fiorentina boss stressed Icardi’s ability in the box, suggesting that the 31-year-old Argentine is more adept in tight spaces than his Nigerian counterpart. 

He explained that Osimhen's skill lay more in his athletic abilities and his quality of scoring ridiculously impressive goals, as seen in his second strike in the 3-3 draw against Kasimpasa. 

“Icardi is one of the few centre-forwards whose talent inside the box is unmatched,” Terim said. “Osimhen, on the other hand, is an exceptional athlete who can score goals that you would never expect.”

Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi in training for PAOK.
Victor Osimhen and Mauro Icardi in training

Terim’s assessment shows clearly that Buruk's tactical plan to play them as a pair instead of pitting them against each other was the right plan, as Icardi and Osimhen were the perfect foil for each other. 

In the aforementioned game against Kasimpasa, the pair showed a glimpse of what could be before Osimhen pulled up injured, as the Nigerian scored twice and Icardi once to help the Turkish champions open a 3-1 lead, which they eventually let slip away.