Eric Chelle Faces Player Absences Ahead of Russia Friendly

Nigeria's head coach Eric Chelle will lead a significantly weakened Super Eagles squad for a friendly match against Russia on October 6 at the Sovcombank Arena in Nizhny Novgorod. Chelle cited a combination of injury setbacks and resistance from European clubs in releasing their players as reasons for the depleted squad.

Notable absentees include Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Alex Iwobi, who were all confirmed absent from the squad announced last month. Other senior players missing from the lineup include Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Tolu Arokodare, and Semi Ajayi.

During a pre-match press conference, Chelle expressed the challenges he faced in assembling a competitive team but urged the available players to rise to the occasion. This match serves as the Super Eagles' final fixture of the current international window before they regroup for a double-header against Tanzania in the 2027 qualifiers in November.