Nigeria team (Back row L-R) Nigeria’s midfielder John Obi Mikel, Nigeria’s defender William Troost-Ekong, Nigeria’s defender Leon Balogun, Nigeria’s midfielder Victor Moses, Nigeria’s midfielder Joel Obi and Nigeria’s goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, (Front row L-R) Nigeria’s striker Odion Ighalo, Nigeria’s defender Shehu Abdullahi, Nigeria’s midfielder Alex Iwobi, Nigeria’s midfielder Ogenyi Onazi and Nigeria’s defender Bryan Idowu line up for a pre-game photograph ahead of the International friendly football match between England and Nigeria at Wembley stadium in London on June 2, 2018. / AFP PHOTO
One of the attractions of Thursday’s group stage draws of the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League is the likely games Nigeria internationals Bryan Idowu (Locomotive Moscow), Henry Onyekuru (Galatasaray), Kayode Olarenwaju (Shakhtar Donetsk) and Tyrone Ebuehi (Benfica) will play in the European Premier Cup competition.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles
The duo of Henry Onyekuru and Bryan Idowu are likely to be featured by their Turkish and Russian sides respectively after they were pooled in Group D with the Russian champions the seeded team.
Shakhtar Donetsk striker Olarenwaju is in line to face his former employers Manchester City in Group F which also contains Lyon and Hoffenheim.
Super Eagles right back, Ebuehi, is unlikely to be fit for the group stages after he was ruled out for at least five months with an injury.
Meanwhile former Super Eagles defender and now AS Monaco Director of Football, Mike Emenalo, who previously worked with Chelsea was at the draw held in Monaco and saw his team grouped along with Atletico Madrid, Borrusia Dortmund and Club Brugge.
The group stages of the competition will start 18 September with the final to be played on June 1 at Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
Disclaimer
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.