The UEFA Champions League is often regarded as the biggest club competition, where club football's biggest names shine. This stage is where stars are made. Nearly every football player on earth dreams of one day taking home "The trophy with the big ears."
Famous Nigerian footballers such as Finidi George, Nwankwo Kanu, John Mikel Obi, Taribo West have won the UEFA Champions League in the past. This season, there will be seven Nigerians competing for the biggest prize in club football.
EaglesTracker has previewed the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League season.
Paul Mukairu & Akinkunmi Amoo - FC Copenhagen
The duo of Mukairu and Amoo are debutants in the competition. They will be representing FC Copenhagen of the Danish Superliga in the Champions League Group stage.
Placed in Group G alongside English Premier League champions; Man City, Dortmund, and Sevilla, it's a pretty tough group for the Nigerians and FC Copenhagen have their work cut out for them, if they are to reach the knockout rounds.
Unfortunately, Akinkunmi Amoo is expected to be out of action for the rest of the season, after suffering a knee ligament injury in training.
Zaidu Sanusi - FC Porto
The Super Eagles defender is not new to the competition after taking part in the 20/21 and 21/22 editions with FC Porto.
Sanusi will be the first Nigerian defender to win the Champions League if FC Porto is able to make it all the way this season.
Sanusi is a very good going forward also consistently does his job at the back well, he scored title-winning goal that helped FC Porto clinch the League in the previous season. They've been drawn alongside Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Onyedika's Club Brugge in Group B.
Victor Osimhen - S.S.C. Napoli
Osimhen's 14 league goals in 2021/2022 helped Napoli to secure UEFA Champions League group stage spot. Napoli are drawn in Group A, with Dutch Eredivisie champions, Ajax, beaten 2022 Champions League finalists, Liverpool, and Rangers FC, who lost in the Europa League final last season.
The 23-year striker showed his quality by scoring four goals in the Europa League last season, and will be looking to make a mark in the UCL this time around.
Calvin Bassey - AFC Ajax
Bassey Joined Ajax during the summer transfer window after a blistering run that saw him play in the Europa League final last season with Rangers.
Ajax will be playing against Liverpool, Napoli, and Bassey's own former side, Rangers. The Nigerian will also go against his national team teammate, Victor Osimhen when both clubs face each other in the Group A encounters.
Ajax has won four Champions League titles and has had a lot of success in Europe. However, it's crucial to remember that their last triumph came in 1995.
Raphael Onyedika - Club Brugge
21-year old midfielder, Raphael Onyedika will feature in the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League group stage, following his summer transfer from FC Midtjylland.
Club Brugge are placed in Group B alongside Zaidu Sanusi's Porto, Atletico Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Fortune Bassey - Viktoria Plzen
The forward joined the Czech giants this summer. Viktoria Plzen are drawn into Group C otherwise dubbed "the Group of Death". The group features heavyweights like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Inter Milan.
Viktoria Plzen are the underdogs in the group which gives Bassey's side a herculean task ahead.
Who do you think has the best chance of winning the trophy ? Leave a comment or reaction below
