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Nigerian players will play pivotal roles for their European clubs again this weekend as important league games are decided in England, Germany and Italy writes, TUNDE LIADI.

After the exhaustion of the midweek games, the ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE matches take centre stage again this weekend from AMEX Stadium where Brighton & Hove Albion will host third-placed Leicester City who have Nigerian duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho under their stable, today.

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The Foxes played an entertaining 1-1 draw with Burnley at the Turf Moor on Wednesday with Iheanacho in scoring form for only his second league goal of the campaign.

At Anfield, Fulham with some Nigerian legions will hope to add to the misery of misfiring Liverpool whom they will face tomorrow. The Reds were fortunate to earn a draw in the initial leg at the Craven Cottage. Ola Aina and Josh Maja are the two Super Eagles players at the club but there are other Nigerian interest to look out for including Tosin Adarabioyo, Ademola Lookman, and Joshua Onomah.

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At the Hawthorns, Super Eagles midfielder, Semi Ajayi will be free to return (after serving out his two-match suspension) to the West Brom ahead of their tomorrow’s clash with Newcastle United. Ajayi bagged his first EPL red card and second of his professional career when he was sent off in their goalless draw at Burnley two weeks ago.

Chelsea will also have their hands full as they welcome Alex Iwobi’s Everton to Stamford Bridge on Monday in the concluding fixture of Matchday 27.

In the GERMAN BUNDESLIGA, Kevin Akpoguma has recovered from the thigh muscle strain that has kept him out of Hoffenheim games since January but he is still short of fitness and won’t be available for his club’s home fixture with Wolfsburg today.

Emmanuel Dennis is still adjusting to life at FC Cologne. He was hurled off at halftime last week in the 5-1 mauling at Bayern Munich. It was the Billy Goats’ third straight loss in the league since the Nigerian joined at midseason. The remaining Nigerians at the club, Tolu Arokodare has not been called up for the last two games at all while Kingsley Ehizibue was benched in the whitewash at the Allianz Arena. They host Werder Bremen tomorrow .

In the ITALIAN SERIE A, Crotone will face another daunting task against Torino tomorrow after they were dazed 5-1 by Atalanta on Wednesday.

Though Simy Nwankwo got his eighth goal of the season in Bergamo , it seems a return to Serie B could be imminent with the type of results they have recorded since  the season began.

Source: www.thenationonlineng.net