Nigeria will take on Russia in Tuesday’s international friendly without captain Wilfred Ndidi and six other key players, after a wave of late withdrawals left head coach Éric Chelle with a heavily reshaped Super Eagles squad in Nizhny Novgorod.
Ndidi and Akpe Ruled Out Through Injury
The biggest blow is captain Wilfred Ndidi, who was ruled out after picking up a knock during last week’s AFCON 2027 qualifying defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau. The Besiktas midfielder had been expected to lead Nigeria out at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, but the NFF confirmed the injury was enough to keep him out of the trip, and he has returned to Türkiye to continue his recovery.
Basel defender Victory Akpe is the second casualty, ruled out after picking up an injury of his own. Chelle has responded by calling up replacements: Reims midfielder John Otomewo comes in for Ndidi, while Vince Osuji takes Akpe’s place in the defensive group.
Four Blocked by Their Clubs
Four more players will miss the friendly because their clubs refused to release them — an increasingly familiar story during this congested international window.
Raphael Onyedika was stopped from travelling by his German club, Eintracht Frankfurt, while Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were held back by Birmingham City and Al-Wasl respectively.
The most frustrating case may be Moses Usor. The forward scored on his Super Eagles debut in the 2-1 victory over Madagascar in Uyo on September 25, was not in the original travelling list, but was later requested by Chelle as the withdrawals mounted. Austrian club LASK told him not to fly to Russia, prioritising his return ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
The seventh absentee is Suleiman Mubarak, who could not secure the residence permit required for his trip to Russia.
Nineteen Players Available After Late Addition
The withdrawals initially left Chelle with just 18 players in Russia, but a late invitation to Ibrahim Ajasa of Russian club FC Rostov brought the available group back up to 19. The Super Eagles held their final training session at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Monday evening ahead of the friendly.
The available squad mixes home-based talent — Michael Atata of Ikorodu City, Kenneth Igboke of Enugu Rangers — with Europe-based players including Stanley Nwabali, Benjamin Fredricks of Brentford, Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers and Chibuzo Nwoke of Fulham.
Chelle Looks to Bounce Back
The friendly arrives at a difficult moment for Nigeria. The Super Eagles are smarting from last Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in Bissau, a result that has put pressure on Chelle during this AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. A depleted squad heading into a tricky away assignment against Russia is hardly ideal preparation, though friendlies like this are also where fringe players can stake a claim.
The broader picture is familiar: this extended international window has been brutal on squads across Europe, with clubs and national associations locked in a constant tug-of-war over player availability. Nigeria are far from the only side arriving at this week’s fixtures short-handed.
Beyond the Final Whistle: losing a captain, two starters' replacements and four players to club blocks in a single week is a brutal way to prepare for any fixture, let alone one in Russia. Yet these are the windows that forge careers — the 19 players in Nizhny Novgorod tonight have a genuine chance to force their way into Chelle's plans. Can the depleted Super Eagles pull off a result against the odds? Let us know your predicted scoreline in the comments.
Related reading: Alex Scott Ruled Out: England and Bournemouth Injury Blow — another victim of this brutal international window. Sources: The Sun Nigeria, Soccernet Nigeria.
