Boniface, Lookman and Other Super Eagles Stars Playing in Champions League This Season
- Five Nigerian footballers will play in the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season
- Bundesliga champions Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella will represent Bayer Leverkusen
- Ademola Lookman will feature whether he stays at Atalanta or join Paris Saint-Germain
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League will debut a new format featuring 36 teams, with each club playing eight different teams, four at home and four away.
Only three Nigerians have won the Champions League, the first being Finidi George and Nwankwo Kanu with Ajax in 1995 and the last being John Obi Mikel with Chelsea in 2012.
Source: Getty Images
Five Super Eagles stars are confirmed to be participating in this season’s tournament, with the possibility of more joining as seven spots remain in the qualifiers.
Nigerian players in UCL
1. Victor Boniface
Boniface helped Bayer Leverkusen win the German treble last season, playing pivotal roles in all three trophies, including the opening goal in the Super Cup final. He rejected multiple approaches from English clubs to stay at the Bay Arena and will be playing in the Champions League.
2. Nathan Tella
Boniface was not the only Nigerian to win the German Bundesliga title with Leverkusen. Nathan Tella also picked up a medal, having played over 20 games, most of which were as a substitute. He has one cap for the Super Eagles after pledging his international allegiance to the African country.
3. Samuel Chukwueze
In Stefano Pioli’s final season in charge of AC Milan, he helped the team finish second on the Serie A table behind champions and rivals Inter Milan, thus qualifying for the UCL. Paulo Fonseca will take it up from there with Samuel Chukwueze, one of his preferred players in attack.
4. Ademola Lookman
As noted by Sports Zone, there are uncertainties surrounding his future at Atalanta amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain, but whether he moves or stays, he will play Champions League football. Atalanta qualified via league position last season and won the UEFA Europa League.
5. Raphael Onyedika
As noted by Transfermarkt, the 23-year-old midfielder played 21 games to help Club Brugge qualify for the UCL season. So far, he has played all three games in the Jupiler League for the Belgian champions.
Gasperini unsure about Lookman's future
Briefly News reported that Lookman's future is uncertain amid the interest from PSG in the past 48 hours, and Atalanta are willing to hold on to their prized star.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is uncertain of the player's future when asked about it after the win over Lecce, which the Nigerian missed after he was omitted.
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Source: Legit.ng
