International Friendly: Russian Coach Assesses Super Eagles Without Osimhen, Lookman

International Friendly: Russian Coach Assesses Super Eagles Without Osimhen, Lookman

Sampson Adedeji

Russia’s national team head coach, Valery Karpin, has acknowledged that the Super Eagles remain a strong team even in the absence of key forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The two Nigerian stars were left out of the squad for the June international friendly matches by Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle. Despite their absence, Karpin maintains that Nigeria still poses a significant threat.

"Of course. I repeat, I would have liked to see Osimhen and Lookman play to test our team against the best," Karpin said in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"But their absence certainly does not make Nigeria fundamentally weaker."

Russia is set to face Nigeria in an international friendly on Friday at the Luzhniki Stadium.