The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed concern over the number of players unavailable for the Super Eagles’ international friendly against Russia due to injuries and club restrictions.
Nigeria will face Russia on Tuesday in Nizhny Novgorod, but head coach Éric Chelle has been forced to adjust his plans following the absence of several key players.
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has been ruled out after sustaining an injury during Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau.
Raphael Onyedika is also unavailable after his German club, Eintracht Frankfurt, declined to release him for the fixture. Bright Osayi-Samuel and UAE-based midfielder Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola were similarly prevented from joining the squad by their respective clubs.
Defender Victory Akpe will miss the match due to injury, while Austria-based winger Moses Usor has also been denied permission to travel.
Usor, who scored on his Super Eagles debut against Madagascar in Uyo on September 25, was initially omitted from the squad before receiving a late invitation from Chelle. However, his club, LASK FC, instructed him to remain in Austria.
Another player unavailable is Slavia Prague midfielder Suleiman Mubarak, who could not travel because his residence permit issues remain unresolved.
The NFF acknowledged that the absences have significantly reduced the options available to the coaching crew ahead of the encounter.
Despite the setbacks, 18 players have arrived in Russia and are preparing for the match.
Late call-up Ibraheem Ajasa of Russian club FC Rostov was expected to join the team on Sunday evening, providing a timely boost to the squad.
Nigeria and Russia last met 16 months ago in Moscow, where both sides played out a 1-1 draw.
Chelle is expected to use the fixture to assess several young and emerging players as he continues to build his squad ahead of future international assignments.
The Super Eagles will be hoping to bounce back from their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers and end the international window on a positive note.
