Moscow, Russia — Ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated friendly between Nigeria and Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium, Russian national team head coach Valery Karpin has dismissed claims that the Super Eagles pose less of a threat due to the absence of star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
The encounter will mark the first-ever meeting between the two nations on the international stage, and Karpin insists that Nigeria remains a formidable opponent regardless of who features.
“Our approach doesn’t change,” Karpin told Russian outlet Komsomolskaya Pravda. “Even without Osimhen and Lookman, they still have plenty of top-quality players.”
The coach pushed back against media narratives labeling Nigeria’s lineup as a “second-string team,” citing the presence of other talented options in the squad.
“People are saying it’s a weakened Nigeria just because two prominent names are missing. If that’s the case, we could say the same about ourselves,” he added.
Karpin also highlighted that Russia will be without several key players, including Aleksandr Golovin, Arsen Zakharyan, Dmitri Barinov, and Igor Diveev — all of whom missed their last outing against Zambia.
“We didn’t have Golovin, Zakharyan, Barinov, Diveev, or even Safonov in that match. These are important players for us, but no one is calling us a second team,” he emphasized.
The match promises to be a test of depth and resilience for both sides as they navigate international fixtures with depleted rosters.
By Enoch Odesola| May 25, 2025
