The 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League season starts later today with the 32 teams pitted in eight groups to fight it out of the group stages.
Europe’s elite club competition has five Nigerian representatives from four clubs participating in this season’s edition. But who are they?
5.
Frank Onyeka (Midtylland)
The recently capped midfielder played a staring role for Midtylland as they navigated through two qualification rounds to seal a spot in the group stage. He scored in the final play-off game against Peter Olayinka’s Slavia Praha as the Danish champions won 4:1 at home and on aggregate.
In a group D containing Liverpool, Ajax and Atalanta, the odds are stacked against Midtylland progressing. But with Frank Onyeka doing his bits in midfield, there is hope for Midtylland.
4.
Zaidu Sanusi(FC Proto)
Sanusi made the switch from mid-table Santa Clara to FC Porto in the off-season. The Portuguese giants directly qualified for the group stages after securing their 29th league title last season.
They are in group C alongside Manchester City, Marseille and Olympiacos. Zaidu Sanusi and his teammates will fancy their chances of progressing to the next round.
3.
David Okereke(Clubb Brugge)
The 23-year old forward joined Club Brugge from Spezia in the summer of 2019. He scored nine goals in 22 league games last season as Brugge where declared league champions when the Belgian Pro League was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Blue-Black takes on Zenith St. Petersburg today for their Champions League opener. They will also have to face Lazio and Borussia Dortmund in group E.
2.
Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure(Club Brugge)
Another Club Brugge man. Dennis Bonaventure has Champions League experience from last season where the high was scoring a brace against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in an eventual 2-2 draw.
He was heavily linked with a move away from Belgium this past summer but a move away never did materialized. If Club Brugge are to reach the next round, they’ll have to pin hope on their Nigerian forward to deliver.
1.
Odion Ighalo(Manchester United)
The going has got tougher for Ighalo at Manchester United with the arrival of Edison Cavani placing him further down the pecking order. He has rarely been given a chance to stake a claim with his loan deal fast approaching it’s end. Nevertheless, he is in line to make his Champions League debut.
Man Utd where drawn in a tough group H consisting of Turkish champions Istanbul Basakehir, last season’s semi-finalist RB Leipzig and PSG who they play at the Parc des Princes today.
