Braga vs Napoli: Victor Osimhen aiming to break Obafemi Martins’ 13-year-old UCL record

Osimhen will be looking to break Martins' record in the Champions League

Braga vs Napoli: Victor Osimhen aiming to break Obafemi Martins’ 13-year-old UCL record

Joba Ogunwale 08:41 - 19.09.2023

Osimhen and Napoli start their Champions League campaign this season with a trip to Portugal’s oldest city, Braga.

Victor Osimhen will be looking to make history when he steps onto the pitch at Estadio Municipal de Braga for Napoli’s first Champions League match of the season against Braga on Wednesday night. 

The Super Eagles star was Napoli’s star in Europe’s premier competition last season, although he could not help them past the last eight. 

Osimhen going for another successful Champions League campaign

Osimhen scored five goals in six Champions League matches for the Neapolitans last season, ending as the club’s top scorer in the competition. 

var widgetLoaderConfig = widgetLoaderConfig || { CDN_URL: 'https://widgets.sportal365.com', APP_LINK: 'desktop', API_URL: 'https://africa.football.api.sportal365.com/', API_KEY: '2f852b4de2f3a5cf3188e74b33087bb4:2c18422f8e826a7d11aeed52edb2449e', LANG: 'en', REQUEST_INTERVAL: 30, ENABLE_BET_SLIP: false, AUTHOR: false, THEME: "light", TOURNAMENT_ORDER: "pulse_nigeria", LINK_OPTIONS_V2: { 'player' : { 'url': '/football/player/{playerId}' }, 'team' : { 'url': '/football/{teamId}' }, 'tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}' }, 'match': { 'url' : '/football/match/{matchId}', 'sort': { 'criteria': 'alphabetically', 'direction': 'asc' } }, 'configuration': { 'newWindow': false }, 'standings_tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}/standings' } } }; if (!document.querySelector('script[src="https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js"]')) { window.setTimeout(function () { let scriptCss = document.createElement('link'); scriptCss.href = 'https://www.pulsesports.ng/css/sport-widgets.css?v=1668785443'; scriptCss.rel = 'stylesheet'; scriptCss.type = 'text/css'; document.body.appendChild(scriptCss); let scriptTag = document.createElement('script'); scriptTag.src = 'https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js'; scriptTag.defer = true; scriptTag.onload = function () { window.setTimeout(function () { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }, 200); }; document.head.appendChild(scriptTag); }, 0); } else { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }

The five goals took Osimhen’s tally in Champions League games to seven in 11 games, having scored two for Lille in the 2019/2020 season. 

Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli enters the field during the Serie A football match between SSC Napoli and SS Lazio at Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples (Italy), September 2nd, 2023.
Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is eyeing another successful Champions League campaign (Credit: IMAGO/Insidefoto/Andrea Staccioli)

Osimhen will now be looking to increase his tally this season, starting with the first clash against Braga on Wednesday night. 

Osimhen has Martins’ record in sight 

Should Osimhen score at Estadio Municipal de Braga, the Nigerian could become Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League, breaking Obafemi Martins’ record. 

Martins is currently Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League with ten goals, including one in the qualifying. 

Obafemi Martins remains Nigeria's all-time top scorer in the Champions League. (Credit: Imago)

However, Osimhen is joint-second on the list and could move past Martins if he scores four goals in this season’s competition. 

If Osimhen scores a brace, he will equal Martins’ 13-year-old record as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League main competition. 

The Super Eagles striker can, however, move past Martins with a hat-trick on Wednesday night. Nonetheless, Osimhen is on course to break the former Inter Milan’s record as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League. 

If Osimhen scores a brace, he will equal Martins’ 13-year-old record as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League main competition. 

Victor Osimhen after Napoli's game against Genoa
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen needs just four goals to break Obafemi Martins' Champions League record || Photo credit: Imago

The Super Eagles striker can, however, move past Martins with a hat-trick on Wednesday night. Nonetheless, Osimhen is on course to break the former Inter Milan’s record as Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League. 

Related content