As this year’s edition of the Champions League is already well away, a number of stars have already begun to shine through, especially with the new format the competition is using for the first time. With a broader group of teams now qualifying for the tournament, as well as the new table-based structure, each team will now play 8 games in the qualifying rounds as opposed to just the 6 in previous years.
With these extra games, though, more talent will be able to showcase their abilities on Europe’s biggest stage, with this being no truer than the range of Nigerians across the continent’s biggest teams taking part. As a result, ProfitDuel, who specialises in side hustles, have handpicked 5 Nigerians to watch out for in this year’s Champions League.
Ademola Lookman
To begin, who better to start things off with than the hero of last year’s Europa League final? Already a well-known name amongst Serie A fans thanks to his consistent performances since transferring to the league back in 2022 from Leicester, Ademola Lookman was propelled to a household name within the footballing world after securing Atalanta the Europa League by firing a hat-trick against the then undefeated Bayern Leverkusen. Following in the footsteps of the momentous performance in Dublin, Lookman will likely be hoping to replicate his fine goalscoring antics when participating in the Champions League for the first time. With 4 games already under his belt in the qualifying stage, Lookman has just claimed 1 goal so far; however, should Atalanta progress through to the knockout phases, the Nigerian forward has already proven his clinical nature in the most important of matches.
Victor Boniface
Following on from arguably last season’s story of the season, clinching their first Bundesliga title and almost going the entire season without defeat, Xabi Alonso’s Bayern Leverkusen have been touted as dark horses for this year’s Champions League. Spearheading their attack, though, is Victor Boniface, coming off the back of a season in which he helped to secure an invincible title by bagging 14 goals in just 23 games for the Nearly Men. In the Europa League, the 6 foot 3 Nigerian was just as clinical, scoring 5 times in 8 games before falling to the sword of fellow countryman Lookman in the final. Not to be overlooked is his playmaking abilities, too, which is almost like a side hustle for Boniface. Alongside the plethora of balls he was slotting in the back of the net, the Nigerian also accumulated 10 total assists across all competitions, proving to be a key component of Leverkusen’s possession-based link-up play.
Although only featuring in half the games in the league stage so far, the technical striker has still bagged a goal in his limited minutes, with his goal-scoring ability being something that is undeniable. Due to his clinical nature in big games especially, this is why we will be keeping a close eye on Boniface as the tournament progresses.
Samuel Chukweze
From a clinical finisher to a skilful speedster, Samuel Chukweze is another name likely to light up on the pitch for AC Milan in the Champions League this season. Following a campaign in which the Rossoneri, unfortunately, fell short in the group of death featuring teams such as PSG and finalists Dortmund, even after Chukwezes’ late-game heroics against Newcastle United, the Italian giants will be hoping for a more progressive run in the competition this year. Although not a starter for the Milan side in the group stages so far, it is coming off the bench in which Chukweze is so effective, with his immense speed and turning kicks often leaving defenders scrambling in and around the box. He has already proven this effectiveness so far, picking up an assist in just 30 minutes of play against Club Brugge to see his side finish 3-1 victors.
Raphael Onyedika
Speaking of Club Brugge, it is the Belgian side in which Nigerian international Raphael Onyedika is featuring in the Champions League this year. Despite having a transfer fall through with Galatasaray late into the transfer window, the 23-year-old will be hoping to prove why he was linked with such moves when facing off against some of Europe’s biggest teams. Featuring in three group games so far, the commanding defensive midfielder has showcased his talents already, providing the pivotal assist to see Brugge run out 1-0 victors against Sturm Gratz. Although Club Brugge are major underdogs, Raphael Onyedika will still be able to showcase his raw talents and why he has already asserted himself firmly into the Nigerian national team.
Victor Olatunji
Last but not least, another interesting player to watch out for in the Champions League this year is Victor Olatunji. For the first time in 19 years, Sparta Prague have made it past the qualifying rounds of the competition, with the Nigerian forward a huge factor for the Czech side. With 3 goal contributions in 6 games during qualifying, Victor Olatunji has carried this form over to the group stages, scoring once and setting up another in just 144 minutes across his first three matches. Although the competition in the forward department is tough for the Super Eagles at the moment, there is no better stage than the Champions League for Victor Olatunji to showcase his abilities and hopefully see him called up to the national team for the first time. By upsetting Austrian giants RB Salzburg and holding 2nd-place German finishers Stuttgart to a 1-1 draw, Sparta does not currently seem out of their depth either, with Olatunji hoping for his side’s impressive performances to continue as he leads the line up top.
