Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has confirmed that Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will miss next month’s international friendly matches against Poland and Portugal for different reasons, despite both players initially being named in the squad.
Nigeria are scheduled to face Poland on Wednesday, June 3, before taking on Portugal on Wednesday, June 10, as part of their post-Unity Cup fixtures.
Speaking after leading the Super Eagles to a 3-0 win over Jamaica in the Unity Cup final, Chelle explained that Osimhen’s situation is linked to an expected club change, while Lookman has been excused due to fatigue at the request of his club.
“For now we have two games, Poland and Portugal, and I have lots of problems because some players have visa issues,” Chelle said, also referencing additional squad challenges.
“But most importantly we miss two players. Victor Osimhen maybe is about to change club, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent it is not good.
“For Lookman, he is very tired and Atletico asked us to excuse him. We will travel with 18 players and we will see what happens after Poland and Portugal.”
Chelle described the upcoming fixtures as a major test for his side, stressing his desire for competitive performances against strong opposition.
“We will go to the two games to fight. If we win, we win; if we lose, we lose. They have to work to beat us. Poland is a good team, Portugal maybe the best team in the world, so this is a great challenge for us.”
He added that facing high-level opposition would help his team grow despite missing out on World Cup participation.
On club performances, Galatasaray forward Osimhen played a key role in their league success, scoring 15 goals in 22 appearances.
Lookman, who joined Atletico Madrid in January, contributed to their strong campaign in both domestic and European competitions, including their run to the Champions League semi-finals.
