Despite the allure of the yuletide period, some Nigerian players will still be involved in league action for their European clubs this weekend and midweek. Www.dasportstainment247.com highlights some of the games in Spain and Belgium where Nigerian players may likely feature.
Ramon Azeez, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze are the three notable Nigerians in the SPANISH LA LIGA but it is only the latter that features more prominently for Villarreal.
Chukwueze has only missed a league game for Villarreal this season but he has been used more as substitute in recent matches. He is not guaranteed a starting shirt against Sevilla on Tuesday but he is expected to be thrown into the fray in the second half.
However, former Under 23 star, Kelechi Nwakali has been reduced to bench warmer at SD Huesca. He has only played five of his team’s 15 league games with four of those games as substitute. He was in action for close to 90 minutes in their Copa Del Rey win at Marchamalos last week Tuesday.
Nwakali will hopefully make the bench against Celta Vigo on Wednesday but it is difficult to ascertain if he will be used later on in the game.
Ramon Azeez only recently returned to action from an hamstring injury that ruled him out of action for close to three months. He has been on Granada bench in their last three games and he played his first game after his return from injury last Thursday in a Copa Del Rey win over San Juan. It is not clear if his coach, Diego Martinez will give him the chance to stage a return to the league against Valencia on Wednesday.
In the BELGIAN JUPILER LEAGUE, league leading scorer, Paul Onuachu will strive to add to his 14 goals when Genk trade tackles with Waasland-Beveren on Saturday with their sights on displacing Club Brugge from the top of the table.
Onuachu in his second season at Genk has been irrepressible but Genk are still in second position. Cyriel Dessers is another Nigerian at Genk who has played 12 games and scored four goals. Both could be called upon to champion Genk’s course against Waasland-Beveren.
Also, the Nigerian duo of David Okereke and Emma Dennis of Club Brugge have another chance to hold on to the leadership of the table with a routine home win over Eupen on Saturday. Club Brugge with only two points gap at the top above Genk can’t say they are comfortable and they must continue winning if they are to retain the title they won last season.
Okereke with three goals from 13 games needs to improve if he is to enter double digit just like last season while Dennis who is yet to fully recover from the death of his brother has played nine league games without scoring yet.
