Super Eagles stars including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Ola Aina, Kelechi Iheanacho and Raphael Onyedika have discovered their opponents in European competitions following the UEFA Champions League and Europa League knockout draws on Friday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigeria internationals featured for their respective clubs during the league phase of the competitions, earning qualification for the knockout rounds.
In the UEFA Champions League, Osimhen’s Galatasaray have been drawn against Italian giants Juventus.
The Turkish champions finished 20th in the league phase and now face a stern test against the Serie A side.
Osimhen, who has been in impressive form since joining the Yellow-Reds, will be key as Galatasaray seek to secure a positive result and advance to the Round of 16.
Lookman’s Atalanta have been drawn against Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund in what promises to be a tough test for the Bergamo-based side.
Despite the magnitude of the challenge, Lookman is expected to play a pivotal role as Atalanta push for progression.
Onyedika’s Club Brugge face a tough challenge against Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish giants tagged as favourites to progress to the next round.
There will also be a Nigerian showdown as Bruno Onyemaechi’s Olympiacos go head-to-head with Nathan Tella’s Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 32.
In the UEFA Europa League, Cyriel Dessers’ Panathinaikos will take on Viktoria Plzen, featuring Nigerian forward Salim Lawal Fago, in a battle for a place in the Round of 16.
Dessers, who is currently sidelined with an injury, will hope to be fully fit in time to help the Greek side navigate the tie, while Salim will be eager to make an impact following his January move to the Czech club.
Iheanacho’s Celtic have been drawn against German side Stuttgart.
The former Leicester City forward, who recently returned to action, will be hoping to rediscover his best form and help the Scottish champions progress.
Meanwhile, Aina’s Nottingham Forest face a difficult test against Fenerbahce in the draw.
The Nigeria international, who was recently added to Forest’s European squad after returning from injury, will be aiming to contribute as the club look to extend their continental campaign.
Taiwo Awoniyi, who was omitted from the squad at the start of the season, will be hoping to earn inclusion and play his part in helping Nottingham Forest progress in the competition.
The UEFA Champions League knockout phase fixtures are scheduled for February 17 and 18, while the UEFA Europa League ties will be played on February 19.
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