Nigerian players return to Champions League action this week, with Ademola Lookman and Christian Nwachukwu in matchday three action on Tuesday (today) and Victor Osimhen in the spotlight on Wednesday, while LASK’s Moses Usor is a doubt again.
Lookman’s Atletico Madrid visit Stuttgart at the MHPArena on Tuesday, with kick-off at 8pm Nigerian time. Atletico lost 2-1 to Liverpool on matchday one but have won each of their six matches since, including a 2-0 win over Manchester United last week where Lookman got on the scoresheet.
Stuttgart have won both of their league-phase games, 3-1 against Viking and 3-0 against Slovan Bratislava, although they lost 1-0 at Hamburg on Saturday.
Lookman has two goal involvements in 11 appearances this season.
In Baku, Sabah host Borussia Dortmund at 5:45pm, looking for back-to-back wins in the competition after a historic 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague last week, their first in the Champions League. They have won all five of their home games in the competition, including qualifying, while Dortmund are winless in three matches either side of the international break.
The 20-year-old Nwachukwu joined Sabah from Sheffield United in August and was part of the squad that beat Slavia last week. He also featured in Sabah’s 4-0 win at Gabala on Saturday.
Slavia, who also have Nigerians Mubarak Suleiman, Emmanuel Ayaosi, Moses David and Samuel Isifie in their squad, are at Fenerbahce at 5:45pm. Both sides are looking for their first win of the campaign, with Slavia having lost 3-2 to Lens and 2-0 to Sabah, while Fenerbahce drew 1-1 with Roma before a 6-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
On Wednesday, Osimhen’s Galatasaray travel to Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with kick-off at 5:45pm. Galatasaray have lost both of their opening games, 3-1 at Sporting CP and 4-1 at home to Barcelona, despite taking the lead in each. Lille have also lost both of theirs and drew 1-1 with Brest in Ligue 1 at the weekend.
Osimhen started and played the full 90 minutes in Galatasaray’s 1-0 win at Gençlerbirliği on Saturday, a game decided by a late own goal.
Also on Wednesday, LASK travel to Sporting CP, with Usor in doubt again after he also missed last week’s game against Liverpool. Compatriot Samuel Adeniran scored in LASK’s 4-0 win at Austria Lustenau on Saturday and will hope to lead the line in Lisbon.