UCL: Super Eagles stars gear up for tough group stage contest

Nigerian players face a difficult test in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League after the draw was conducted on Thursday.

Victor Osimhen and his Napoli teammates will be up against Real Madrid, Portuguese club, Braga and Bundesliga outfit, Union Berlin in Group C.

Real Madrid are the most successful side in the history of the competition. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be Napoli’s biggest opposition in the group.

Braga will be decent opposition, while debutants Union Berlin should not pose much problem for the Partenopei.

Napoli finished top of a group that has Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers last season and should also scale through this time around.

AC Milan’s new boy, Samuel Chukwueze will come up against Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and Premier League side, Newcastle United in Group F.

AC Milan made it to the semi-finals last season and will be looking to go a step further this time around.

Three Nigerian players will clash in Group H. FC Porto of Portugal have left-back Zaidu Sanusi on their ranks, while Royal Antwerp will be parading Chidera Ejuke and Alhassan Yusuf.

European giants, Barcelona and Ukrainian outfit, Shakhtar Donetsk are the other teams in the group.

Peter Olayinka’s Reds Star Belgrade are in Group G with defending champions Manchester City, RB Leipzig of Germany and Switzerland’s Young Boys.

LaLiga club Real Sociedad, who have forward Sadiq Umar in their ranks, will take on Portuguese club, Benfica, Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg and last season’s finalists, Inter Milan in Group D.