‘It won’t be easy’ – Russia warned against underestimating Nigeria ahead of friendly

Former Ajax Amsterdam forward Dmitri Bulykin has warned Russia against underestimating Nigeria when the two sides meet in an international friendly on Tuesday.

The Super Eagles will face Russia for the second time in 16 months when they travel to the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium for the encounter. Bulykin believes Nigeria’s physicality, resilience and competitive character will make the three-time African champions a difficult opponent despite their squad problems.

Nigeria will enter the game with several players unavailable after Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Usor, Victory Akpe, Raphael Onyedika, Ridwan Abdulrasaq Popoola, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Suleiman Mubarak withdrew from the squad.

Russia have also suffered setbacks ahead of the meeting, with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov and Monaco midfielder Aleksandr Golovin unavailable. Lokomotiv Moscow defenders Yevgeny Morozov and Aleksandr Silyanov, as well as Krasnodar forward Dmitry Vorobyov, have also been ruled out for medical reasons.

Despite the absences on both sides, Bulykin expects the encounter to provide Russia with a serious examination.

Bulykin highlights Nigeria’s physical threat

The former Russia international believes the Super Eagles possess qualities that can make life uncomfortable for Russia, particularly in the physical aspects of the game.

Bulykin stressed that Russia must approach the match with the same intensity regardless of the players selected, warning that squad rotation could even give some players greater motivation to prove themselves.

“Right now, we need to be able to play with everyone and come into matches motivated. Sometimes, the second team is even more motivated than the first,” he told TASS.

He expects Nigeria to test Russia with their strength, aggression and determination, insisting that his former national team must be prepared to compete throughout the encounter.

“It won’t be easy; it’s difficult to play against everyone, especially teams from the African continent. In terms of physicality, fighting, and tenacity, they’re a very good team. Our guys will have to put in a lot of effort to win.”

Nigeria’s depleted squad could therefore provide opportunities for other players to make an impression, but Bulykin does not expect the changes to significantly reduce the challenge posed by the Super Eagles.

Russia urged to strike early

Bulykin has also called on Russia to establish control from the opening minutes and prevent Nigeria from settling into the contest.

He believes allowing the Super Eagles to remain level for an extended period could give them the confidence to start believing they can win the match.

“We need to show level, skill, and class from the very first minutes, so that after the first goal, we’ll be more relaxed. If we play for a long time with a draw, then the opponent might even start to think about winning.”

The former Ajax striker wants Russia to use the fixture as another opportunity to improve their performance, cohesion and attacking efficiency.

“All our opponents are good right now. The main thing is to play at a high level, score, and show good play and teamwork. Our team has the opportunity to build all of this through matches.”

Nigeria provide another test for Russia

Tuesday’s meeting will be another chapter in Russia’s growing list of fixtures against African opposition since their suspension from international football in February 2022.

Russia have played African teams eight times during that period, recording four victories, three draws and one defeat.

Their only loss in that run came against Egypt, while the remaining results underline their competitiveness against teams from the continent.

Nigeria will now provide another opportunity for Russia to assess themselves against a strong African opponent, even with both teams dealing with notable absences.