Sports

Osimhen tops the list of Super Eagles stars in the Champions League

Published

2 years ago

August 25, 2022

Fahuyost (ANE Staff)

Osimhen and Napoli get ready for the new season.

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Nigeria will be heavily represented when this year’s Champions League group stage kicks off.

This season’s Champions League group stage is still about two weeks away, but the anticipation is already building after the qualifying rounds finished on Wednesday night.

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The 32 teams that qualified are now known, with the clubs set to know their group-stage opponents in Thursday evening’s draw ceremony in Istanbul.

The Champions League is the biggest club competition in the world, with the best players fighting for the biggest club prize in world football.

Nigerian stars will not be left out of this season’s competition, but who are the players? Here are the five players that will be flying Nigeria’s flag in this season’s Europe’s biggest club competition.

Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

Osimhen is the biggest Super Eagles star in this year’s Champions League and will be eager to prove himself against the best.

The Nigerian international’s 14 goals in the Italian Serie A last season helped seal Napoli’s return to the Champions League. However, Osimhen and Napoli face a difficult draw as they are in pot 3.

Napoli will need their star forward to deliver if they are to progress. Osimhen already showed his quality last season with four goals in the Europa League. The Neapolitans will hope Osimhen brings the same form into the Champions League.

The Super Eagles star is no stranger to the Champions League, though, having played for Lille in the 2019/2020 season, scoring two goals in five games.

Zaidu Sanusi (Porto)

Like Osimhen, Sanusi was also key to Porto’s success in the league last season. The former Santa Clara man was a key player of the team that won the Portuguese league last season, scoring one of the goals that sealed the title for them.

However, Sanusi has enough Champions League experience, representing Porto in the last two seasons.

Porto are not one of the favourites, but they could get an easy draw as they are in Pot 1.

Calvin Bassey (Ajax)

Bassey is already relishing the prospect of facing the world’s best players in the Champions League following his move from Rangers to Ajax. The 23-year-old joined the Dutch champions from the Gers on a five-year deal worth €23.00m, which could rise to €26.00m.

Bassey caught the people’s attention last season for his performances for Rangers in the Europa League, including the final. The Super Eagles defender is now set to bring that experience into the biggest club competition in the world.

Ajax are European royalty with four Champions League titles. Although they have not won it since 1995, the Dutch Champions have been impressive in recent competitions. Alfred Schreuder’s men are also likely to get an easy draw as they are seeded in pot 1.

Samson Tijani (RB Salzburg)

Tijani was in Salzburg’s Champions League squad last season but did not play a part. He is unlikely to play again this season unless Salzburg reach the second round. The former Golden Eaglets captain is currently injured and is not expected to return until December.

And with the group stage ending before December this season due to the World Cup, Tijani will hope Salzburg qualify for the round of 16.

Salzburg reached the second round last season, but they are likely to get a difficult draw as they are in pot 3.

Akinkunmi Amoo (FC Copenhagen)

Amoo is set to play on one of football’s biggest stages after Copenhagen qualified for the group stage following a 2-1 aggregate victory over Trabzonspor in the playoff round.

However, Amoo and Copenhagen are likely to just make up the numbers as they are in pot four. It will be a good experience for the Nigerian, though.