- Adams, Ejuke battle Sadiq in Seville
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman will make his Madrid derby debut on Sunday when Atletico Madrid travel to the Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in one of La Liga’s most anticipated fixtures, while fellow Nigeria internationals Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke go head-to-head with compatriot Umar Sadiq when Sevilla host Valencia on Saturday in a basement battle with relegation implications for both sides.
Lookman, who joined Atletico from Atalanta in January, enters the derby in fine form with four goals and four assists in 13 appearances. Beyond Sunday’s derby, Atletico are also chasing a double, having reached the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad on April 18 and the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Barcelona.
In Seville, Adams and Ejuke face a direct battle for league survival against Sadiq and Valencia. Sevilla sit 15th with 31 points, one below 14th-placed Valencia’s 32, with both clubs needing points desperately.
Adams, Sevilla’s top scorer with seven league goals this season, is expected to lead the line for Almeyda’s side, with Ejuke also in contention to start after returning to training this week following a brief absence due to discomfort. Sadiq, who joined Valencia in January, has a goal and two assists in 10 appearances and will be hoping to add to that tally against his international teammates.
Elsewhere, three Super Eagles — Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze — are available for Fulham’s home clash against relegation-threatened Burnley at Craven Cottage on Saturday, with all three set to depart for Nigeria’s friendlies against Iran and Jordan the following week.
Fulham, who sit four points behind seventh place with eight games remaining, are chasing a European finish, while Burnley arrive in west London nine points adrift of safety with only eight games left, making the clash one of starkly contrasting motivations.
In the Premier League’s other Nigerian clash, Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi’s Nottingham Forest travel to Tottenham on Sunday in a relegation six-pointer, with the clubs separated by just one point in the lower reaches of the table. Forest, who progressed in the Europa League in midweek, have won each of their last three top-flight meetings with Spurs, including a 3-0 victory in December.
In the Bundesliga, Nathan Tella will be looking for game time when Bayer Leverkusen travel to bottom side Heidenheim on Saturday, while Felix Agu’s Werder Bremen face a survival battle of their own when they visit Wolfsburg, who sit 17th and are four points below their opponents.
In Serie A, Lazio’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru travels to Bologna as both sides push for European qualification, while Pisa’s Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Rafiu Durosinmi face Champions League-chasing Como in a potentially difficult away assignment. In Scotland, Emmanuel Fernandez’s Rangers host Aberdeen at Ibrox on Saturday as they look to maintain pressure on league leaders Hearts, trailing by just three points.
