Benjamin Fredrick: Why Eric Chelle Excluded Brentford Star From Madagascar Matchday Squad
- Benjamin Fredrick was excluded from Nigeria's matchday squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifier against Madagascar in Uyo
- Fredrick had only recently returned to the Super Eagles setup after a serious injury sidelined him for most of last season
- Eric Chelle's decision was not injury-related, as Fredrick took part in full training with the squad on Thursday
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Benjamin Fredrick was left out of Nigeria's official matchday squad for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Madagascar in Uyo on Friday, despite being fit enough to take part in the team's final training session the previous day.
The 21-year-old had only recently been recalled to the Super Eagles after recovering from a serious injury he picked up in November 2025, shortly after returning from international duty.
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The setback kept him sidelined for the bulk of last season during his loan at FC Dender, and made him miss the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, as noted by The Athletic.
Why Fredrick missed the squad
According to ANS, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle's decision to omit the former Flying Eagles star had nothing to do with his fitness. Fredrick was part of full training on Thursday and showed no signs of a physical issue.
The exclusion came down to a numbers constraint. CAF regulations allow only 23 players on the official matchday sheet, made up of 11 starters and 12 substitutes.
With a full complement of eligible players to choose from, Fredrick was the one unfortunate enough to miss the cut.
Despite the omission, Chelle has made no secret of his confidence in the centre-back. Before Fredrick's injury last November, the French-Malian coach had named him in six consecutive matchday squads and kept him on the pitch for the full 90 minutes in each of those appearances.
His recall to the squad ahead of the Madagascar qualifier signals that Chelle still views him as a key part of his defensive plans, making his absence from Friday's matchday sheet more a product of circumstance than any loss of favour.
CAF analyses Group L standings
Legit.ng previously reported that CAF analysed the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Group L after Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo.
Guinea-Bissau leads Group L, tied on points with Nigeria, but top on goal difference after beating co-host Tanzania 2-0, making their match one to look forward to.
Source: Legit.ng
