Napoli’s star forward Victor Osimhen will be absent from the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match against AC Milan on Wednesday, as he has been left out of the matchday squad due to injury.

Osimhen, who leads Serie A in scoring this season with 21 goals, has been sidelined due to a thigh strain, causing him to miss recent league games against Milan and Lecce.

In a statement on their website, Napoli confirmed that Osimhen had worked separately from the team during Tuesday’s training session, indicating that he is still recovering from his injury.

This comes as a blow to Napoli, as Osimhen has been a key player for them this season, contributing significantly to their success in reaching the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time in their history.

With Osimhen unavailable, Napoli will likely look to Giacomo Raspadori to lead the line against Milan. However, they will also be without Argentine striker Giovanni Simeone, who is also sidelined due to a thigh issue.

Napoli’s journey in the Champions League has been impressive so far, as they defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on aggregate in the last 16 to secure their place in the quarterfinals.

However, Osimhen’s absence will undoubtedly be felt as they face a tough challenge against AC Milan, and manager Luciano Spalletti will need to come up with a game plan to compensate for the loss of their top scorer.