Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Bruno Onyemaechi and Raphael Onyedika are among the Nigerian players set to feature in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase playoffs after the league phase concluded on Wednesday.
The revamped 36-team league phase ended in dramatic fashion, with 12 clubs knocked out of the competition, eight teams booking automatic spots in the round of 16, and 16 sides forced into a two-legged playoff to fight for the remaining places in the last 16.
Osimhen and Galatasaray endured a tough night in England, finishing 20th after falling 2-0 to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. First-half goals from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki sealed the win for Pep Guardiola’s side, a result that also ensured City finished inside the top eight.
Lookman’s Atalanta also ended the league phase on a disappointing note, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise. Anan Khalaili scored the winning goal, as Atalanta placed 15th in the standings, while Union’s win was not enough to save them from elimination as they ended 27th.
More Read
In Amsterdam, Onyemaechi’s Olympiacos secured their place in the playoffs with an impressive 2-1 victory over Ajax at the Johan Cruijff ArenA. The Greek champions finished 18th overall, while the defeat confirmed Ajax’s exit from the tournament, with the Dutch giants ending a miserable campaign in 32nd after recording just two wins and six losses.
Onyedika and Club Brugge delivered one of the standout performances of the night, thrashing Marseille 3-0 to clinch a playoff spot and knock the French side out. Brugge struck twice inside the opening 11 minutes and added a third in the second half to finish 19th, ending Marseille’s European journey in the process.
Elsewhere, other Nigerians also progressed despite not featuring on Wednesday. Nathan Tella’s Bayer Leverkusen secured 16th place following a dominant 3-0 win over Villarreal, while George Ilenikhena’s Monaco played out a goalless draw with Juventus to finish 21st and move into the playoff round.
However, it was a disappointing end for Igoh Ogbu, David Moses and Samuel Isife, as Slavia Prague were heavily beaten 4-1 by Pafos. The result left the Czech side stranded in 34th place and eliminated from the competition.
With the league phase now complete, attention turns to the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off draw, scheduled for Friday, 30 January 2026, at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
