Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has provided an update on his fitness after being substituted during Beşiktaş’ 2-1 win over Eyüpspor in their Turkish Super Lig opener on Sunday night.
Ndidi made his debut for the club after joining from English side Leicester City, where he spent nearly nine seasons. The Super Eagles star was taken off in the 70th minute and replaced by Demir Tiknaz after appearing to grimace in pain.
With crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa approaching, concerns quickly arose over the midfielder’s availability. However, the midfielder has moved to calm fears after the match, confirming that it was only a cramp.
“It’s not a serious situation. It was just a cramp during the match,” Ndidi told reporters. “I was expecting it around the 60-70 minute mark. These kinds of things can happen in the first games of the season, but it’s nothing serious.”
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Despite his reassurance, Beşiktaş’ medical team will assess the 28-year-old ahead of their UEFA Europa League playoff first leg against Lausanne on Thursday.
Away from the injury scare, Ndidi praised the atmosphere on his debut, noting the support from thousands of fans inside the stadium.
“The atmosphere was great. The support from our fans was fantastic. When the score was 1-1, we showed real team spirit and their backing pushed us to fight for the second goal. It was a great day, we feel fantastic,” he said.
Ndidi, who is expected to play a key role for Beşiktaş this season, also expressed delight at the trust manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has placed in him, highlighting how the quality of his teammates makes his job easier.
“I know what our coach wants from me. The quality of the players ahead of me made my job easier. We were able to push forward and apply pressure in attack. Once we executed the coach’s plan, things improved for us,” Ndidi added.
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