Tag: Maduka Okoye

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye faces a ban of as long as four years if he is found guilty of illegal betting.

The Udinese shot stopper is now being investigated for allegedly betting on his own yellow card in a match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.

Okoye is currently sidelined after surgery to his wrist recently.

Okoye, 25, is reportedly being investigated by the Udine Prosecutor’s Office for a flow of anomalous bets during thend  Lazio-Udinese match played on 11 March, The ‘Messaggero Veneto’ reported.

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The owner of apizzeria regularly frequented by the players and, occasionally, also by the managers of Udinese was also included among the suspects.

The two suspects are accused of fraud.

The investigation was triggered by a report from Sisal regarding a series of bets for significant amounts linked to the warning of the Juventus goalkeeper during the match won in Rome 2-1.

Okoye was booked by the referee in the 19th minute of the second half for time wasting.

Italian Serie A side Udinese has revealed that Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will undergo surgery to correct his injured wrist and will not be available for quite some time for the Italian Serie A side.

The young goalkeeper sustained the injury during Udinese’s game with Genoa and the club confirmed that the Nigerian International will miss the trip to Monza played yesterday evening.

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“Maduka Okoye has torn the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist following a trauma,” the club wrote on its official website. “He will have surgery to repair the ligament in the next few days.”

The extent Okoye will stay on the side-line is yet to be determined.

Okoye has kept all Udinese’s 14 games before the injury against Genoa.

Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper isn’t worried that he’s playing second fiddle to Super Eagle top choice keeper Stanley Nwabali at present.

“I’ve been through this route at Udinese. The whole idea is to be part of the team and be ready when the time comes for you to contribute your quota you go out there and show your stuff.”

Though, he wants to take his game to the highest level by playing in the Uefa Champions League (UCL), Serie A title race and the 2026 World Cup, he’s also waiting for the right time.   

How does Okoye see the Serie A title going?

“From the way it’s going Juve with Thiago Motta looks quite strong, but for sure Inter will also be a top candidate.”

Okoye is really pleased to have Alexis Sanchez as a new teammate.

“Unbelievable, I remember when he walked in the changing room the first time. I was sitting on my chair, I sit right at the beginning, I looked up and stood right up and shook his hand like I mean it is Alexis Sanchez. He is a legend of the game, not just a club legend at Udinese, but in the whole game.

“It’s a privilege and Im proud to be able to work with a legend like Alexis Sanchez.

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Okoye explained that his favourite goalkeeper growing up played his football in San Siro.

“Always Nelson Dida and never anyone else [who was my childhood idol.] I’ve never met him but I’ve had contact with him through other people, this makes me very happy.

“I grew up watching Dida, standing in goal thinking I am Dida, he has given me lots of motivation, for me he is the number 1 goalkeeper in the world.

“Maybe I need to watch what I say [laughs], but I always supported Dida’s Milan.”

Picking the best goalkeeper from the current crop is easier said than done, though.

“Very difficult to say. The way I learn, when I study build up play I study Ter Stegen. When i study high exist I study Ederson. When I study saves I study Courtois. In different parts there are different goalkeepers.

 “Difficult to say who is the best, but the most complete is Alisson, Neuer..I don’t want to answer this question [laughs].”

Opening up on his time with Udinese thus far, Okoyed said: “My first year was a little bit turbulent because I arrived at Udine from Watford. Didn’t play a lot at Watford, was recovering from a shoulder surgery. Luckily the Pozzo family gave me a chance here at Udinese.”

“I arrived as a second goalkeeper but in 17 games I made it to the starting eleven. And then the journey started. I’m very happy how things are going here.”

“I am very happy with my first season. It was very important for us players and the club to stay up, Udinese has been in the Serie A for 30 years. I’m happy I could play a role to keep club in Serie A where the club belongs.”

“We had strong fans behind us in tough times we made it on the last day.”

“For sure there are lots of areas I can improve. To reach the level I want to be, I have lots of things I can improve on. I’m surrounded by a very good goalkeeping team at Udinese.”

 “For sure I want to one day play in the Champions League. I mean this is what we dream of growing up, this is the number one target. But I know I have to take things step by step, I have to work on a lot of things. But I also know that I can be there, so that’s why we all work hard.

“About the Premier League and England, I don’t know yet. I really like it in Italy I am very happy in Italy. I am learning the language and I want to spend more time here in Italy.”

The 2026 World Cup in North America is now less than two years away. Okoye is enjoying his time with the Super Eagles.

“Yeah, like you said we are in a difficult situation right now. But when we all meet up in the national team camp it’s a great vibe, family vibes. I’m sure that we will get to our goal.”

“We have a new coach, so we are looking forward to what’s coming. It would mean the world [to play for Nigeria at the World Cup]. I grew up watching the Super Eagles.”

“When my father came home from Nigeria, he always brought Okocha jerseys. To represent my fatherland is a dream. At a big tournament like world cup would be more special.”

 “I never considered playing for Germany. It was always Nigeria. I grew up in Germany, but the house was Nigerian with my father the leader at home. I didn’t have to make a decision, it was always Nigeria.”

“Honestly, in general, not just our attackers, our squad is unbelievably strong but yeah as you mention our strikers, I have tough working days facing them.”

 Nigeria International goalkeeper Maduka Okoye nearly switched from Udinese  to  Inter Milan  during the Summer Transfer Window but for the €15m asking price.

According to Football Italia, The Nerazzurri needed a goalkeeper to act as understudy and future heir to Switzerland international Yann Sommer, so had zeroed in on Okoye.

 “The interest from Inter was concrete, but Udinese were asking for €15m to buy me,” the shot-stopper told Transfermarkt. “It would’ve been a dream, but I don’t regret how things went. I am happy to still be at this club, to be the Number 1 here. The situation could repeat itself if I keep working hard and maintain constant performances.

 “I want to stay in Italy, this is a choice I have made. I like this land, the people in it and the atmosphere. I am happy in Udine and want to take the club high with as many points as possible.”

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Born in Germany and playing his international football for Nigeria with 16 senior caps, the 25-year-old had experiences in Germany, the Netherlands and even England with Watford before coming to Udinese in 2023.

 “I don’t see myself being elsewhere in January, as my focus is all on Udinese. I want to end the season here and continue working with Runjaic, who is a very important coach for me.”

Meanwhile,  Okoye has  revealed  first meeting with Fabio Cannavaro, adding he enjoyed  working with the former Italy’s captain for a very brief period to avoid relegation from Serie A.

 “He is a special person, like a big brother or a cousin. I’d only ever seen him on TV or in a Play Station game, but he came up, hugged me and said: ‘I am your new coach.’

 “He approached us like the head of the family, cancelling out the pressure we had around us at that moment. Cannavaro will have success as a coach, 100 per cent.”

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has found himself in the headlines, but this time, it’s not due to his excellent football talents, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 25-year-old Udinese shot-stopper has been publicly dumped by his longtime girlfriend, Dutch model Jelicia Westhoff, after four years together.

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In a series of explosive Instagram stories, Westhoff, 30, did not hold back as she accused Okoye of lacking respect for their relationship and their family.

“Maduka Okoye. You have no respect for the family you decided to create. And I am done with you. I repeat, I am done with you. I am DONE WITH YOU,” Westhoff wrote, making it clear that their relationship had come to an abrupt and bitter end.

Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has disclosed that he and his Udinese teammates do not have much time to brood over  their Sunday’s  Serie A loss to AS Roma.

Okoye,  in a  post-match at the Olimpico after their 3-0 defeat , affirmed that with a Coppa Italia tie midweek against Salernitana and next league tie against reigning champions, Inter on Saturday.

The former Watford and Sparta Rotterdam goaltender agreed that the team lacked movement and communication at the country’s capital but that their focus must be on their next two games before the weekend.

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 “We started the season well, but today was a difficult match. We played against a great team,” Okoye told the club’s media. “Today we lacked a bit of movement and communication, but now we immediately focus on the Coppa Italia and Inter on Saturday. We are disappointed but we must immediately look forward, Salernitana and Inter are two great opportunities, we must stay focused.”

Despite their first defeat of the season, Udinese are third on the table with 10 points from five games and they will face Salernitana on Wednesday in a Coppa Italia tie before the blockbuster fixture with Inter on Saturday.

Super Eagles Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye last night inspired Udinese to a comeback away  win over Parma in the last Matchday Four tie of the Serie A.

The win has propelled Udinese to the top of the Italian topflight with 10 points from four games ahead of regular title favourites, Napoli (9 points), Inter (8 points) and Juventus (8 points) who are respectively  in second, third and fourth spots.

Udinese looked like they would suffer their first  defeat of season  after they trailed 2-0 at half time after  Enrico Del Prato  gave the home  side the lead in the second  minute  while  Ange Bonny  added  the second goal  in the 43^rd  minutes but they had a complete turnaround in the second half.

But Lorenzo Lucca reduced the goals deficit in the 49^th  minute before Florian Thauvin’s equaliser in the 62^nd  minute for the Donkeys.

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Benefitting from the red card given to Parma substitute, Mandela Keita in the 73^rd  minute for a second bookable offense, Udinese went for the kill and got the third goal four minutes after Thauvin  scored his second  goal of the evening.

The victory lifted Udinese to the top of Serie A with 10 points from four games. They will face a stern challenge to their continuous stay at the top of the table this Sunday when they visit Rome for a date with AS Roma.

Incidentally, Okoye has kept in all Udinese’s Serie A games this season and his imperious form has been crucial to their impressive start to the season.

Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has confirmed his new-found form after he was named Player of the Month by his Serie A club Udinese.

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The 24-year-old Super Eagles shot-stopper played four Serie A games in the month under review, keeping clean sheets against Juventus and Monza.