Maduka Okoye will not be available for Udinese in their next three games after getting sent off in their 5-1 defeat to Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A yesterday.
He was sent off in the 9th minute for stopping a clear goal scoring opportunity. He is now set to miss the next three games for the club starting with the game against Lazio on the 27th of December.
Okoye will likely return to action on the 10th of January against Pisa, that is after missing games against Como and Torino respectively. Around which the Super Eagles would be neck deep in their campaign at the AFCON.
The goalkeeper turned down the chance to represent Nigeria at the tournament, after not getting any assurance from head coach Eric Chelle on if he will be the first choice of the team at the tournament in Morocco.
Udinese reached an agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and head coach Eric Chelle for him to be left out of the team, so that he can be available for them as he is their first choice.
However they will now be without him for largely the period of the tournament due to the suspension. A situation they didn’t envisaged when it was agreed that he will stay behind and help their quest in the league.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
