Nigeria v Cote d’Ivoire: Super Eagles boss Peseiro talks up Ahmed Musa’s importance – “He’s my assistant”

The former Leicester City and Kano Pillars forward is the substantive skipper of the Nigerian national team

Nigeria’s head coach Jose Peseiro has confessed his admiration for Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa ahead of the team’s clash with Cote d’Ivoire, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Super Eagles will trade tackles with hosts Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Just like in Nigeria’s first six games of the tournament, Musa will almost certainly not be named in the Super Eagles’ starting eleven against the Elephants.

Despite being the team’s skipper, Musa has not played a minute of Nigeria’s matches at the AFCON.

PAOK defender William Troost-Ekong has led the Super Eagles onto the field from the first game against Equatorial Guinea to the semifinal clash with South Africa.

In the absence of any unforeseen circumstances, Troost-Ekong will lead the three-time continental champions onto the pitch of the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan for the final match.

Still, Peseiro sees Musa as an important member of the squad without whom the success recorded in Cote d’Ivoire would have been a mirage.

Peseiro maintains that Musa is not only a player and a skipper, but the Sivasspor ace also plays the role of a coach, often offering his expertise to the former Porto boss.

“Ahmed Musa is special and important to the team,” Peseiro said at his pre-match press conference.

“He is my assistant. He advises me, and he gives me the necessary support. He is committed in his role, and he can play. We shall wait and see tomorrow, but we want to win the AFCON for Musa to lift the trophy.”

Nigeria won the AFCON trophy in 1980, 1994, and 2013 and will lift the title for a fourth time with a win over Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.