•Coach Valery Karpin
Russia national team coach, Valery Karpin, said Nigeria Super Eagles can still wreak havoc despite missing star strikers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in today’s international friendly at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.
Fielding questions from journalists at the end of yesterday’s open training session in Luzhniki Stadium, Karpin maintained that Nigeria will always be a strong side with or without some of its best legs, warning that it won’t be a stroll in the park for his players, reports The Guardian.
Karpin also lamented the absence of his top stars like Golovin, Diveev, but assured fans that the Russian national team is ready to show good stuff irrespective of the pedigree of their opponent.
“Nigeria is a strong team. The leaders didn’t come — yes, but that’s their problem. Ours didn’t come either. For example, Golovin, Diveev. I can name others. I always said: it doesn’t matter who we play — we want to show our stuff, which we practice,” he told Sports Express.
”It’s clear that it’s harder to press against Serbia and Cameroon. That’s what I want to see — how we defend, how we get out of defence. But the requirements don’t change. We prepare the way we should.”
Meanwhile, Super Eagles manager, Eric Chelle, has come to the defense of his two strikers, saying that the duo were told to settle their potential club transfers.
“Osimhen and Lookman are great players with good technique and intelligence, but the season is over, and they are at a time when they have to decide their future at club level, and that is why they are not here with the team,” Chelle explained.
Chelle also explained why other notable absentees – Nathan Tella, Samuel Chukwueze, and Wilfred Ndidi – will be missing in action against Russia.
“Nathan Tella is not here because of passport and visa problems. Samuel Chukwueze needed to solve issues with his family, and Wilfred Ndidi sustained an injury. That is why these players are not here, too,” he said.
Chelle, who led Nigeria to victory in the Unity Cup tournament in London, expects the friendly to shape his squad ahead of the critical Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
