Russia vs Nigeria: Full List of Super Eagles Players Who Withdrew and Reasons Given
- Eric Chelle's squad for Nigeria's friendly against Russia was reduced to 18 players following multiple withdrawals
- Captain Wilfred Ndidi was ruled out by a knock picked up against Guinea-Bissau, while Raphael Onyedika was blocked by his club
- The NFF confirmed injuries and club refusals were behind most of the withdrawals, with one player also held back by a permit issue
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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has been left with just 18 players ahead of Nigeria's international friendly against Russia, after a string of withdrawals forced him to reshape his travelling party at short notice.
Chelle had announced a separate squad for the Russia fixture, different from the group he used in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Source: Getty Images
Of the players who appeared on both lists, only five eventually made the trip, among them goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, winger Moses Simon and striker Akor Adams.
Why Super Eagles players withdrew
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) published a full breakdown of the players who pulled out and the reasons behind each withdrawal.
Captain Wilfred Ndidi was ruled out after picking up a minor knock during the match against Guinea-Bissau. Eintracht Frankfurt blocked Raphael Onyedika from making the trip to Russia.
Birmingham City defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were similarly held back by their respective clubs, while Switzerland-based defender Victory Akpe was ruled out through injury.
Austria-based forward Moses Usor, who scored on his debut against Madagascar and was not part of Chelle's original squad for the Russia game, was also blocked by LASK FC.
Suleiman Mubarak, called up from Czech top-flight side Slavia Prague, was unable to join the squad because his residence permit had not been processed in time to allow him to travel to Russia.
The wave of absences leaves Chelle with a significantly trimmed group as he prepares to manage the friendly against Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, with kick-off scheduled for 6 PM Nigerian time, as noted by ESPN.
Eric Chelle replaces Wilfred Ndidi
Legit.ng previously reported that Eric Chelle invited John Otomewo as the midfield replacement for Ndidi after the Besiktas star withdrew from the squad to face Russia.
The 19-year-old Otomewo plays for Reims in the second division of French football and caught the attention of the manager for his performance in midfield.
Source: Legit.ng
