Nigerian trio, Boniface, Tella, Lookman aim for historic Europa League final
The potential final of the 2024 Europa League could feature a remarkable Nigerian presence at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland on May 22, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Today, Thursday, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella are set to showcase their skills as German champions Bayer Leverkusen take on Roma at BayArena for the crucial second leg of the Europa League semi-finals.
Bayer Leverkusen, who are poised as favorites following a 2-0 victory in the first leg, are looking to extend their 48-game unbeaten streak and make history by reaching the final against either Marseille or Atalanta.
In the other semi-final showdown, Lookman aims to lead Atalanta to their inaugural Europa League title and their first trophy in over six decades. They face a tough challenge against Marseille at home.
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Should Leverkusen and Atalanta secure favorable outcomes, all three Nigerian stars will compete for glory in the final, ensuring that at least one Nigerian player will be part of the championship-winning team.
In recent years, Nigerians have made a mark in the Europa League, with Samuel Chukwueze triumphing in 2021 with Villarreal and Victor Moses winning the competition twice. Other notable Nigerian players like Mikel Obi, Joe Aribo, and Calvin Bassey have also left their mark on the tournament.
Meanwhile, in 2022 Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey were runners-up following Glasgow Rangers’ defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in Seville, Spain.
