Nigerian players once again made headlines across Europe at the weekend as clubs played their final league fixtures before the international break for 2026 World Cup friendlies. Although the Super Eagles will not be at the World Cup, they are set to face Iran and Jordan in Antalya, Turkey, with players expected to start travelling today.
In Spain, Ademola Lookman continued his strong form by scoring for Atletico Madrid away to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. His goal was not enough to save Diego Simeone’s side from a narrow 3 2 defeat after Real Madrid struck late to win the game.
Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke featured for Sevilla in their home loss to Valencia, where fellow Nigerian Sadiq Umar came off the bench to seal the victory for the visitors. Adams played from the bench for Sevilla, while Ejuke remained an unused substitute throughout the match.
Kareem Tunde impressed in Spain’s lower division, helping Levante score four goals past Real Oviedo, who replied with two. His all round display contributed to a strong attacking performance from his side.
In England, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi both delivered standout performances in a 3 1 home win over Burnley. Samuel Chukwueze came off the bench to help see out the result for the hosts.
Ola Aina came on as a substitute for Nottingham Forest in their emphatic 3 0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur and scored the third goal of the match. Another Nigerian defender, also named Ola Aina in the report, was said to have played the full 90 minutes for Forest, who remain locked in a relegation battle.
Bright Osayi Samuel returned to the Birmingham City squad but did not get off the bench in their 2 1 defeat to Derby County. Joe Aribo also started on the bench for Leicester City, coming on in the second half of a goalless draw away to Watford.
In France, Moses Simon started at left back for Paris FC in a home game against Le Havre, a notable positional switch from his usual attacking role. He was later substituted in the second half as the hosts reshuffled their set up.
In Italy, Fisayo Dele Bashiru played the full match in Lazio’s 2 0 away win over Bologna. Ebenezer Akinsanmiro featured for Pisa in a difficult outing that ended in a 5 0 defeat to Cesc Fabregas’ Como side.
In Belgium, Raphael Onyedika completed the full 90 minutes for Club Brugge as they recorded a convincing 4 1 home victory over Mechelen. In Portugal, Zaidu Sanusi also played the entire game for league leaders Porto, who secured a 2 1 away win at Braga.
In Greece, Bruno Onyemaechi was in action for Olympiacos in a goalless home draw against AEL Larissa. The result capped a busy weekend in which several Nigerian internationals and prospects gained valuable minutes ahead of the upcoming Super Eagles friendlies.
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