Russian football expert Aleksandr Bubnov has said that Nigeria could give Russia a tough time in their upcoming friendly next month. This is if Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle can bring his best players, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
The match will take place at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6. Bubnov warned that Russia might not be the favourite if Nigeria shows up with their top players.
The former USSR player was talking about Russia's upcoming matches against Iran, Namibia, and Nigeria. He shared his thoughts on the game against Nigeria's team.
“Against Nigeria… The Nigerians, too, if they come to play with their main lineup… We won’t win,” Bubnov said on Komment.Show’s YouTube channel, as reported by Championat.
Nigeria might be missing some important players for this match. Victor Osimhen and Zaidu Sanusi are unlikely to play due to injuries they picked up while with their clubs.
There are also concerns about Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi, who are both trying to recover from injuries.
This match will be the second time Nigeria and Russia meet in 16 months. Their last match ended in a 1-1 draw in Moscow back in June 2025.
Russia took the lead in that game due to a Semi Ajayi own goal, but Nigeria equalised with a goal from Tolu Arokodare in the second half.
The Super Eagles will play Russia just after their first matches in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying round. They will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on September 23.
After that, they will travel to Bissau to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.
Currently, Nigeria is ranked 26th in the world, while Russia is in 35th place in the FIFA rankings.
The game will be held at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, which can hold 44,000 fans. This stadium was one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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