AFCON 2023: Ndidi may miss Leone Stars clash

Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, is a major doubt for Nigeria’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations opening qualifying game against Sierra Leone as he will be recovering from a knee injury suffered in a UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg tie against Stade Rennais on March 17.

The midfielder was ruled out for the rest of the season, thereby missing the Eagles’ Qatar 2022 World Cup play-offs against Ghana in March as the squad failed to qualify for the Mundial for the first time in 16 years.

According to Leicester City manager, Brendan Rodgers, Ndidi will not be back for the Foxes’ last game of the season against Southampton on May 22, and according to reputable football statistics website, Transfermarkt, the Nigerian will only return to training – not full fitness – on May 31.

The Eagles are in Group A along with Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe or Mauritius with the first two teams in the group booking an automatic qualification for the AFCON.

With the Eagles set to play the Leone Stars in the first week of June, its most likely the mercurial midfielder would not have returned from injury.

The 25-year-old last featured for Nigeria in their AFCON 2021 round of 16 loss to Tunisia in January.