The European football season is now in full swing, and Nigerian players are already making headlines. From Spain’s La Liga to Turkey’s Süper Lig, and Belgium’s Pro League to the Premier League, here’s how our stars fared.
Turkey — Big Moves and First Impressions
- Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray) — Made his second debut after a headline‑grabbing move from Napoli. Came off the bench against Karagümrük in a comfortable win, but couldn’t find the net.
- Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş) — Excellent debut after leaving Leicester City. Started, played 70 minutes, and helped secure a 2‑1 win over Eyüpspor with his trademark midfield control.
Italy — Cup Competition Warm‑ups
- Fisayo Dele‑Bashiru (Lazio) — Featured in the Coppa Italia, continuing his strong integration after a breakout season last year.
- Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan) — Stayed on the bench in a 2‑0 Coppa Italia win over Bari.
Belgium — Leading the Line in the Pro League
- Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk) — Led the attack, bringing physical presence, though no goal this time.
- Yira Sor (KRC Genk) — Featured alongside Arokodare, showing pace but without a decisive finish.
Spain — Uche Steals the Spotlight
- Chrisantus Uche (Getafe) — The weekend’s standout. Assisted the opener and scored the second in a 2‑0 win at Celta Vigo. Named Man of the Match.
- Akor Adams (Sevilla) — Assisted in a 3‑2 loss to Athletic Club.
- Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla) — Came off the bench in the same match.
Germany — Cup Wins, Mixed Involvement
- Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen) — Unused sub in a 4‑0 German Cup win.
- Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen) — Played the full game in that same victory.
- Afeez Aremu (Kaiserslautern) — Came on for 31 minutes in a 7‑0 DFB‑Pokal rout.
France — Solid at the Back, Frustrated in Attack
- Moses Simon (Paris FC) — Debuted in a 0‑1 loss to Angers; 72 minutes, two shots, but no goal.
- Gabriel Osho (Auxerre) — Played all 90 minutes and helped keep a clean sheet in a 1‑0 win over Lorient.
England — All‑Nigerian Battles
- Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest) — Strong at right‑back in a 3‑1 win over Brentford.
- Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest) — Unused sub.
- Frank Onyeka (Brentford) — Late cameo with little impact.
- Alex Iwobi & Calvin Bassey (Fulham) — Both played in a comeback draw against Brighton.
Stars of the Weekend 🌟
- Chrisantus Uche — Goal + assist, driving Getafe’s win in Spain.
- Wilfred Ndidi — Controlled midfield on his Beşiktaş debut.
- Gabriel Osho — Defensive anchor in Auxerre’s Ligue 1 victory.
Quieter Outings 😶
- Victor Osimhen — No goal on Galatasaray return.
- Samuel Chukwueze & Victor Boniface — Didn’t feature from the bench.
Summary:
This weekend was all about Chrisantus Uche’s brilliance in Spain, Ndidi’s confident debut in Turkey, and Osho’s rock‑solid defending in France. While some big names like Osimhen and Boniface had quieter outings, the season is young — and with fixtures coming thick and fast, expect more Nigerian fireworks across Europe soon.
