Russia head coach Valery Karpin is expecting a difficult duel against the Super Eagles despite the absence of top stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman for their international friendly.
The two countries will clash in a high profile friendly at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on Friday.
It will be the first-ever meeting between both countries.
“It doesn’t change our preparation at all. Without Osimhen and Lookman, there will be other equally good footballers,” Karpin told Komsomolskaya Pravda.
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“Now there are many media outlets, bloggers, internet broadcasts… They write: “Nigeria is bringing a second team” only because two leaders didn’t come.”
The Russian coach was quick to point out that his own squad is also without several key names.
“Then we can also say that we are bringing a second team. We don’t have Golovin, we don’t have Zakharyan. Golovin, Zakharyan, Barinov, Diveev were not in the match with Zambia,” he said..
“These are our main players, our stars. Safonov was not there. But no one is talking about this.”
By Adeboye Amosu
