Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has been ruled out of Nigeria’s two international friendly games against Iran and Jordan in Turkey, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Fulham centre-back, who impressed at the last AFCON tournament in Morocco, has reportedly pulled out of the squad due to a back injury. Bassey had originally been included in the 23-man list and was expected to play an important role in defence.
With Bassey out of both games, Eagles coach Eric Chelle is expected to look at other options he has in camp, or make a decision to hand a fresh call-up to any other defender available, such as Chibuike Nwaiwu of Trabzonspor.
Meanwhile, training sessions have centred on improving team shape, pressing intensity, and on-field understanding between players. With two matches coming up in quick succession, the coaching crew are eager to build early rhythm while also giving opportunities to both established starters and newer faces within the squad.
Nigeria will take on Iran on Friday before facing Jordan a few days later, with both games set to test the team’s readiness and depth.
