“We want to fight hard” – Nigeria-eligible Swiss defender eyes surprise victory against Inter Milan

Zachary Athekame was born in Switzerland but is of Nigerian descent and is eligible to play for the Super Eagles in the future.

Switzerland and Young Boys full-back, Zachary Athekame, has set sights on a win against Inter Milan when his side take on the Italian giants this evening in their UEFA Champions League clash, Soccernet.ng reports.

Simeone Inzaghi’s side have won four of their last five games across all competitions and are at the top of the odds as they travel to the Stadion Wankorf this evening.

Ahead of Inter’s trip to Switzerland, Athekame, who joined Young Boys last summer from Neuchâtel Xamax, is thrilled at the opportunity to welcome the Nerazzuri to their home ground.

The teenage defender admitted he recognizes the ability their opponents possess in attack, but also backed his team to defy the odds by showing their mentality in front of the home crowd.

“We are facing a big team with big names. When I think of Lautaro Martinez or Marcus Thuram in attack, I know that we will have to face an enormous amount of quality. Having said that, we will have ambition, we want to fight hard. When I step onto a football pitch, I always do so with the intention of winning. We were all aware that in our situation we absolutely have to get the three points. I hope that the victory will trigger something, which can give us momentum and confidence,” the 19-year-old said in quotes revealed by Inter News.

Born in Switzerland, Athekame is of Nigerian descent. However, he has represented the Swiss youth team at International level, making his debut for the U-23 team in September 2023.

 

This post was last modified on October 23, 2024 12:06 pm

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria. With a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience. He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.

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