Injuries Strike Super Eagles Players in Europe

No fewer than six Super Eagles players are out with injuries at a time when their clubs are starting new seasons. This situation gives their rivals a jump on them just as teams decide on player rotations and starting positions. The timing is a big worry for some players at their clubs and for the national team ahead of the September international window, Peter Akinbo reports.

Getafe midfielder Christantus Uche has had successful surgery after a serious knee injury. This injury happened during a pre-season friendly on August 6, when a reckless tackle from Monaco’s Christian Mawissa left him with multiple tears to the ligaments and meniscus in his right knee. Medical staff had to carry him off the pitch.

This injury will keep him out for the rest of the season. Uche was hoping to rebuild his reputation at Getafe following a tough loan period at Crystal Palace last season. He only played 22 times, getting 477 minutes of Premier League action before the English club decided not to sign him permanently.

The 23-year-old also misses the Super Eagles’ qualifying matches and likely the tournament finals. After his operation, Uche shared a photo and thanked his surgeon and everyone at Getafe for their support. He added that he trusts the recovery process ahead.

Valencia striker Sadiq Umar picked up a hamstring injury in his right leg after scoring in the club's 3-1 victory over Deportivo de La Coruña last weekend. This good form had put him in line for more playing time after he started and completed the full 90 minutes.

On Monday, Umar showed up for training limping. Further checks by Analytica Fantasy indicated the problem was in his hamstring. Valencia's medical team confirmed the injury later. Valencia says Umar will follow a special treatment, physiotherapy, and rehab program at the club’s training ground, but they have not given a return date. This leaves him watching from the sidelines as his team settles on attacking options without him. It is still not clear whether he will miss the September qualifiers.

Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru hurt his right thigh during the club’s 1-0 Serie A win over Bologna. He was forced off the pitch in the 54th minute, and Davide Frattesi came on to score the only goal five minutes later. He is expected to be out for at least three weeks.

This injury comes just as the 25-year-old had earned a starting spot from coach Gennaro Gattuso after a strong pre-season. He had a good performance in Lazio’s Coppa Italia loss to Mantova, but now he risks losing that starting position while he recovers. He is set to miss Lazio’s matches against Genoa, Udinese, AC Milan, and possibly Venezia. His involvement with the Super Eagles this month is also uncertain, as his recovery timeline may only just clear him for Nigeria’s qualifiers, if at all.

Porto full-back Zaidu Sanusi may be out for about two months after tests showed an adductor injury in his right leg. He got the injury in the 17th minute of a 3-0 win over Académico de Viseu, leading coach Francesco Farioli to replace him with Martim Fernandes.

Sanusi had played every minute of Porto’s league campaign this season before the injury. Farioli called the setback “something very serious” right after the match. Now, he has to find a long-term replacement at a time when the Portuguese club is managing the final year of Sanusi's contract, with no extension agreed yet. Sanusi's injury means he will definitely miss Nigeria's September qualifiers, which gives coach Eric Chelle a new selection problem.

Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi got a knee injury during his team’s 2-0 defeat to Monaco. Nnadi has not yet secured a regular starting spot under new coach Bruno Genesio, and this time out could hurt his chances. A possible late transfer move, which might have led to more playing time elsewhere, is also complicated by his injury. Other clubs are often careful about signing players who cannot be assessed right away.

His place in Chelle’s squad for the September qualifiers is less of a concern since the 23-year-old only made his Super Eagles debut this year. But he will need to hurry to be fit for Marseille.

Amedspor winger Yira Sor is out for six weeks after suffering a Grade 2B hamstring injury of about eleven centimeters in his left biceps femoris. The 26-year-old had just made his Super Lig debut after a €3m move from Genk this summer. He was starting to fit in, having played in a 3-0 win over Erzurumspor before the injury occurred in Amedspor’s 2-1 comeback victory over Trabzonspor. He had scored the equalizer in that match before Gift Orban secured the win. This setback could hurt his early progress at a club that is still getting to know him.