Champion League
Osimhen, Chukwueze and Nigerian players to lit up 2023/24 UEFA Champions League
By Monsurah Olatunji
The UEFA Champions League group stage draw for the 2023/24 season have been concluded, and all 32 teams have been placed in groups with a number of Nigerian top stars to feature in Europe’s elite club tournament.
As the draw ceremony threw up fixtures that excites observers, some dreaded falling into the dreaded ‘Group of Death’. In this piece, NigeriaFootball take a closer look at the Nigerian footballers who will be representing their respective clubs in the biggest European competition.
After his incredible stats last season, Victor Osimhen will hope to make a statement against the most successful club at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Osimhen netted three of Napoli’s five goals in the last 16 tie against Eintracht Frankfurt tie but suffered a damaging injury that kept him out of the club’s quarter-final first-leg meeting with Milan. An injury that jeopardized Napoli’s historic Champions League dream.
However, the Partenopei will be banking on his prowess after being drawn against Real Madrid, SC Braga, and Union Berlin in Group C.
Dazzling Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze will hope to make an impact to bolster a squad that was awfully reliant on Rafael Leao and surrendered to Inter Milan in the quarter-final last season.
The Nigerian has match-winning continental experience with Villarreal, notably striking at the Allianz Arena to eliminate Bayern Munich in the 2022 quarter-final clash.
Milan are placed in Group F, where they have been drawn against PSG, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle United in what many term to be a group of death.
Zaidu Sanusi and his FC Porto will battle group victory alongside FC Barcelona, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Royal Antwerp in Group H.
The Super Eagles star is no longer new to this stage, having featured in the last three years with Porto.
For the first time in their history Belgian champions Royal Antwerp will feature in the UEFA Champions League and two Nigerians will be playing their part to make it a remarkable debut.
Talented winger Chidera Ejuke who joined the side this summer and midfield general Alhassan Yusuf will be making a statement in a group that has FC Barcelona, FC Porto, and Shakhtar Donetsk.
In Group D, Umar Sadiq should make his Champions League debut for the returning Real Sociedad, who face Benfica, last year’s beaten finalists Inter and Salzburg, whose African contingent are pushing to play a significant role in what could turn into an open group.
Peter Olayinka will be making a return to the Champions League with Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade who are in Group G alongside champions Manchester City, RB Leipzig, and Young Boys.
After moving from an Academy in Nigeria to Inter Milan, Remo Star’s Ebenezer Akinsanmiro hopes to get an invite to the senior team following his impressive form at the end of last season.
The teenager could feature as last season’s finalists navigate a Group D pairing that has Benfica, RB Salzburg, and Real Sociedad.
Nigerian-Spanish striker Samu Omorodion will be hopeful of representing Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League this season after completing a move to the Wanda Metropolitano from Granada. Los Rojiblancos will play Feyenoord, Lazio, and Celtic in Group E.
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