The glamorous UEFA Champions League will commence this
midweek in 16 venues across Europe. A couple of Nigerian players will likely be
in action for their respective clubs.
Victor Osimhen, who played for the Super Eagles in this
year’s Africa Cup of Nations, will most likely be in action for LOSC Lille of
France. The French side will take on last season’s semi-finalists, Ajax
Amsterdam at the Johan Cruyff’s Arena this Tuesday in one of group H
encounters.
The 20 year-old Nigerian international is gradually becoming
Lille’s point man having scored five goals in five matches.
The group’s other match will pitch last season’s Europa Cup
champions, Chelsea of England against Valencia of Spain.
Belgian champions, Genk will tread tackles with Red Bull
Salzburg in one of the group E matches. Stephen Odey will be in action for the
Belgian side.
Odey moved to Genk from FC Zuric of Switzerland in 2017.
The other match of the group will see defending champions,
Liverpool take on Napoli at the Stado San Paolo in Naples.
Another Belgian side Club Brugge are placed in group A
against Paris Saint Germain of France, Real Madrid of Spain, who are the most
successful side in the competition with 12 titles and Galatasaray of Turkey.
Club Brugge eliminated Dynamo Kyiv 4-3 in the third
qualifying round before they defeated Linzer Athletik Sport Klob of Austria 1-3
to qualify for the group stage. This feat was possible because of the
invaluable contributions of two Nigerians: David Okereke and Emmanuel
Bonaventure.
As Club Brugge host Galatasaray this Wednesday at the Jan
Breydel Stadium, they will be banking on these Nigerians.
Bonaventure has scored once in his four appearances in the
preliminary stages of the Champions League while David Okereke is yet to find
the back of the net in the same number of matches. But, in the Belgian League,
David Okereke has scored four goals in five matches.
In the group’s other match, French capital, Paris, will be
set on fire when Paris Saint Germain host Real Madrid at the Parc des Princess.
Other fixtures this mid-week will see last season’s runners
up, Tottenham Hotspur travel to Greece to take on Olympiacos while Bayern
munich welcome Red Star Belgrade.
Group C will see English champions, Manchester City take on
Shakhtar Donetsk at the Metalist Stadium as Dinamo Zagreb lurk horns with
Atalanta of Italy.
Atletico Madrid will host Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus at the
Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in one of group D encounters, while Bayer
Leverkusen tread tackles with Lokomotive Moscow of Russia.
Heavily reinforced Inter Milan of Italy will welcome Slavia
Prague while Barcelona will travel to Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund.
Both encounters are group F matches.
Group G
matches will see Lyon of France welcome Zenit Saint Petersburg of Russia as
Benfica take on RB Leipzig
