Nigeria have been dealt a huge blow ahead of the 2019 AFCON third-place match against Tunisia after manager Gernot Rohr revealed John Mikel Obi picked up an injury in training and will not be fit for the encounter.
The news will come as a big blow to Mikel and his fans who were hoping to see the former Chelsea man don the Nigerian jersey one last time.
The Trabzonspor latest signing revealed earlier he would be retiring from international duty after the tournament. He has had a tournament to forget playing just two games so far for the team.
He started the games against Burundi and Madagascar but was ineffective in both matches. His performances have been criticised from many quarters while he has also been blighted by injuries.
The latest setback will be a big disappointment for the former Middlesbrough midfielder who would have loved to put on the green and white jersey one last time.
Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr confirmed Mikel’s absence in his press conference but praised him for deciding to represent the nation without any preconditions. When asked if there’s a chance Mikel will play, Rohr said: “He picked up an injury yesterday & couldn’t train so it is unlikely that he will play”.
“He’s had a good tournament & we must remember there are people who participated in the qualifiers who are not here. He’s here because he accepted to come without preconditions”.
Nigeria will be hoping to extend their winning record in third-place matches at AFCON when they take on the Carthage Eagles.