Tag: Chidera Ejuke

Super Eagles winger Chidera Ejuke has been dealt another blow after sustaining what appeared to be a muscle strain in Sevilla’s 2-0 victory over Girona in La Liga on Sunday evening.

The 27-year-old, making just his second start of the season, lasted only 18 minutes before being forced off and replaced by Juanlu Sánchez. His brief outing follows a 67-minute appearance in Sevilla’s 2-1 defeat to Getafe last week.

Despite his early exit, Sevilla sealed their first league win of the campaign. Alfon González opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a composed finish, before Isaac Romero doubled the advantage on 55 minutes after a swift counterattack, both goals set up by Swiss midfielder Ruben Vargas.

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The victory eased pressure on Sevilla after two consecutive defeats, but Ejuke’s injury casts a shadow over the celebrations. The club is yet to confirm the severity of the setback or how long the Nigerian could be sidelined.

Ejuke’s career in Spain has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries. He missed much of last season through a long-term problem and sat out several preseason matches, including games against Marseille and in the Antonio Puerta Trophy, due to a thigh issue.

The winger had featured in Sevilla’s opening-day loss to Athletic Club and earned his first start against Getafe, seemingly regaining rhythm before this latest setback.

Head coach Matías Almeyda will be hoping Ejuke’s problem is not serious, particularly with fellow Nigerian forward Akor Adams and several other players already out injured.

Chidera Ejuke missed Sevilla’s pre-season friendly against Marseille on Saturday after suffering a thigh injury linked to his antics in the off-season.

The Nigeria international endured an underwhelming debut campaign at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan following his arrival from CSKA Moscow in July 2024, scoring just two goals in 25 La Liga appearances.

Ejuke’s season was hampered by a hamstring issue which ruled him out of action for almost 10 weeks and he managed only four starts upon his return to fitness.

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However, the 27-year-old won’t have endeared himself to new Palanganas head coach Matias Almeyda after playing informal matches on clay pitches while on vacation in Nigeria.

The Andalusian outfit announced on social media that Ejuke would sit out the game against L’OM and it is unknown how long the injury will side-line him for.

Nigerian winger Chidera Ejuke has vocalised his support for the Super Eagles ahead of this month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Ejuke recently returned from injury and was named in Nigeria’s 39-man provisional squad, however, he missed the final cut for the 23-player list selected by head coach Eric Chelle.

He remains positive about Nigeria’s chances and is backing his teammates to secure maximum points from both fixtures despite missing out.

 “We have a lot of players in Nigeria, and believe me, at the end of the day it’s the coach’s decision, and he knows what he’s doing,” Ejuke said as quoted by Brila. “So, for me, if I get the opportunity to go there, I’ll always be happy to represent my country. I wish the boys the best and, obviously, I’ll be watching as well, and I hope they win the matches.”

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Speaking in the same vein, Kasimpasa’s defender Kenneth Omeruo  who was also omitted  for these two upcoming qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe,  has also declared his support for  Super Eagles , adding  the national team must do everything possible to qualify for next year’s World Cup after a faltering start in the qualifying series.

 “We have to be at the World Cup,” he declared. “That’s the dream of every football player.

“It won’t be easy, but I believe the team will be different under a new coach, who I have spoken to.

 “I am a fan and I will be watching the games on TV and cheering them to victory,” he said.

The Super Eagles will first face Rwanda in Kigali on 21 March before returning home to play Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later.

Currently fifth  in Group C with only three points from four matches, Nigeria needs strong results in their upcoming qualifiers to improve their chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Sevilla manager Xavi García has  praised Chidera Ejuke for overcoming a torrid injury  and bounced to grab the much needed  goal  in  his side’s  1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in a Spanish La Liga clash at the Reale Arena on Sunday.

Making his first start since recovering from a three-month hamstring injury that sidelined him for nine league matches, Ejuke played a key role in Sevilla’s triumph as he scored with a stunning curling effort off a well-executed counterattack.

The goal, his second of the season, is expected to boost his confidence moving forward while victory propelled Sevilla above their opponents into 10th place.

Before his injury in October, Ejuke was one of Sevilla’s most dangerous attacking threats. However, he struggled to regain his spot in the starting XI due to the impressive form of Swiss forward Rubén Vargas. With Vargas sidelined by a hip injury, Ejuke seized his opportunity and delivered a decisive performance.

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“When Ejuke got injured, he was in great form. Being out for three months makes it tough to get back into shape,” García disclosed. “Vargas has been performing at a very high level, so Ejuke had to wait for his chance.”

He added: “Today, Rubén’s hip problem ruled him out, and Ejuke took full advantage. He played well, not just offensively but also defensively. We’re very happy for him.”

“This victory is crucial. We wanted it, and the team performed well. But more importantly, the way we won matters. For large stretches, we were superior to a strong team like Real Sociedad. That gives us confidence—we know that if we play at this level, we can compete with anyone and beat anyone.”

Sevilla hoping to bring in Swiss international winger to replace injured Nigeria star

Sevilla have ridden out an early storm under new manager Garcia Pimienta, but sitting in 12^th , are a long way from making waves in Andalusia. He is keen for Sporting Director Victor Orta to bring in reinforcements, after Lucas Ocampos was sold after the transfer deadline to Saudi Arabia.

With Nigeria winger Chidera Ejuke out until February after an impressive start, Los Nervionenses have been lacking depth in the wide areas.

According to Relevo, Augsburg winger Ruben Vargas is their top priority for the position in the January transfer window.

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The Bundesliga side are asking for a relatively affordable €2.5m for the Swiss international with 50 caps and 8 goals for his national team. He has made just three starts for Augsburg this season, although he has missed the last month through injury.

Orta will have to balance this with another pressing need for the Sevilla squad though, with both Isaac Romero and Kelechi Iheanacho barren in La Liga.

While the work of Romero up front has been appreciated at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, having both of their number nines without a goal is a major issue.

Super Eagles attacker Chidera Ejuke is expected to spend some time on the treatment table after he picked up an injury in Sevilla’s loss to Barcelona on Sunday night.

Ejuke sustained the injury in first half stoppage time and the 26-year-old, who was named Sevilla’s player of the month for September, was replaced by Belgian midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The Rojiblancos were handed a heavy 5-1 defeat to the Catalan giants at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Sunday with a brace from Robert Lewandowski and Pablo Torre adding to a sublime strike from Pedri, while Stanis Idumbo got the consolation for Sevilla.

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Speaking with the club’s official website at the end of the big loss, Sevilla’s manager Garcia Pimienta confirmed that Ejuke suffered a hamstring injury, but the extent of the damage or return date was not stated.

 “[Chidera] Ejuke is injured, he has felt a twinge in his hamstring and we will see how long it lasts,” Pimienta told the club’s official website.

The former Royal Antwerp and CSKA Moscow man joined Sevilla on a free transfer this summer, and has since scored one goal in nine La Liga matches for the Seville club.

Up next for Sevilla, is another visit to Catalonia, where they will take on Espanyol in La Liga this Friday.

Chidera Ejuke was an unused substitute, while Kelechi Iheanacho was not listed as Sevilla kicked off their 2024-25 LaLiga campaign with a dramatic 2-2 draw against UD Las Palmas at the Estadio de Gran Canaria.

Despite being in control for much of the game, Sevilla had to settle for a point as the home side clawed back from a two-goal deficit.

Sevilla struck early, benefiting from an own goal by Álex Suárez. However, Las Palmas responded with resilience, leveling the score before halftime through Oli McBurnie. The second half mirrored the first, with Sevilla once again taking the lead, only for Sandro to equalize for Las Palmas.

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Despite both teams creating several chances, neither could find a decisive third goal.

The absences of Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ejuke were noticeable, with fans eager to see the new signings in action.

Iheanacho, who was handed the number 9 shirt for the season, missed most of the preseason due to his late transfer in July. Although he made his unofficial debut in a friendly against Liverpool, he was not registered in time for this La Liga opener.

Ejuke, donning the number 21 jersey, watched from the bench as an unused substitute, leaving his first competitive appearance for Sevilla still to come.