Super Eagles head coach, Éric Chelle says his team is fired up to secure victory in the international friendly against Russia.
The West Africans will be looking to return to winning ways following their 3-0 defeat to the Djurtus of Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday encounter last Tuesday.
Nigeria will feature a second-string side against Russia after some of the regular stars pulled out of the game.
Chelle explained the situation surrounding the unavailability of some of his regular stars and his team’s desire to beat Russia.
“Some clubs don’t want the players to come. We have to manage the situation.
“We lost our last game, and the expectation for this game is to give the new players the opportunity to show what they can do,” Chelle told a press conference on Monday.
“We are motivated. The players want to win, and they want to give their best for the jersey and the country.”
Chelle also reflected on his team’s defeat to Guinea-Bissau and what his players must do to overcome Russia.
“This is not the same team. We lost the game against Guinea-Bissau because our intensity was not good. It’s going to be a different game,” Chelle said.
“The Russian team also play with a lot of intensity. When they don’t have the ball, they are always aggressive. I want my team to play the same way too.
“If we play that way tomorrow, I will be very happy. I want to see a good game and a good performance from the players,” he added.
