Nigeria Olympic star forward Sadiq Umar played his first game for Bologna in over three months bringing to an end a frustrating on the sidelines.

Injuries have limited his appearances for Bologna, where he will spend the rest of the season on loan, but his return was not the best as his team fell 1-3 to Sampdoria despite his introduction in the 45th minute for Mattia Destro.

In Turkey on loan Esperance of Tunisia forward Emem Eduok picked up the man of the match award after bagging a goal and an assist for Kasimpasa in their 4-0 thrashing of league leaders Istanbul Basaksehir.

The other Nigerian at Kasimpasa Kenneth Otigba was an unused substitute just as it has been in the league for him, despite his goal scoring act from the defensive in the Cup games.

Still in Turkey, Raheem Lawal had a first half to remember in a long time for Kayserispor as they shock league giants Galatasaray 2-1 away from home.

Lawal was substituted four minutes after the hour mark when his influence on the game waned, but the out of favour Eagles midfielder didn’t believe so as he showed his dismay at been taking off by the manager.

Super Eagles deputy left back Kingsley Madu ended up on the losing side with Belgium title challengers Zulte-Waregem who were beaten 2-4 by Anderlecht.

Madu was introduced for Brian Hamalainen with just seven minute left to play in the tie, which further reduced their hope of nicking the title at the end of the regular season in Belgium.

Highly rated Nigerian teen forward Chidera Ejike ended up on the winning side in his first trial game with Norwegian side Valerenga.

The soon to be 18 year old arrived in Norway three days ago for a reported one week trial with Valerenga, where he would be offered a contract if he impresses the handlers of the team.

Ejike was given his baptism of fire in their game against Swedish side Djugarden, coming on as a substitute with 10 minutes left to play in the game which ended 3-0 in favour of Valerenga.

Known for his quick feet, incisive passes and good turn of pace “Nigeria Iniesta” as he is fondly called by the media in Nigeria is regarded as one of the best teen prospect in the Nigeria National League (NNL).

Victor Osimhen is in line for his first team debut with German side Wolfsburg after shaking off the injury that has kept him out for three weeks.

The 18 year old Nigerian is slowly working his way back to full fitness following his return to training after the injury set back he suffered at the end of the year.

Osimhen returned to training last week and made an instant impact on teammate Joshua Guilavogui who commended his display in training.

” He (Osimhen) is a strong lad, very good on the ball and hard to take the ball off him. I love what have seen about him in training”, Guilavogui posted on his social media account.

His return from injury will no doubt brighten his chances of making the Super Eagles squad for the proposed friendly games in March.

Aliyu Abubakar who won the U-17 World Youth Championship with the Nigeria U-17 team of 2013 has joined Georgian side FC Dila.

Kaduna born Aliyu completed his move to the team over the weekend after a summer of speculations following his refusal to extend his deal with Finnish side KuPS.

Aliyu defended the colours of KuPS last season with 25 league appearances to his name but the former MS Ashdod defender refused to take up the option of a further year renewal proposed by the club.

20 year old Aliyu is a midfielder but can also play in central defence or right full back, which was the role he played admirably well for KuPS last season.

Chelsea ace Eden Hazard says he regrets not playing in the same team with former Nigeria international Austin Okocha during his playing days.

Hazard confessed that he watched the former PSG star while growing up and even learnt some tricks as it concerns getting past opponents from him.

” I honestly would have loved to play with him, because he is not the type you want to play against. Maybe I wasn’t so lucky to be born at a time which makes it impossible to play alongside him”, Hazard said.

” I learnt a lot from him while he was at PSG, his step overs and ability to take on opponent were stuffs I practised as a little kid, I think not playing alongside him is one regret I have”.

The Belgian ace made the above known during a short interview section where he unveiled a shirt supporting the Austin Jay Jay Okocha Foundation.

Out of favour Super Eagles midfielder Joel Obi was on from the start and picked up an assist for Torino in their 5-3 win over Pescara in a Serie A game decided at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.

Obi was dominant in the first half, setting up Andrea Belloti for Torino’s third goal of the game which handed them a healthy 3-0 lead going into the half time break.

However Obi’s injury enforced substitution in the first minute of time added on after the first 45 minutes proved costly as Pescara took advantage to score three goals in the second half.

Injuries have so far stopped the former Inter-Milan prospect from fulfilling his potentials, and this season alone he has suffered two injury setback since the start of the year.

The injuries are part of the reason why he lost his spot in the Nigeria national team and it could prove costly for him again under new manager Gernot Rohr.

Victor Moses was once again one of the best performers for Chelsea in their disappointing 1-1 draw against Burnley in the English Premier League.

Moses found Pedro with a cross which was converted by the Spaniard to give Chelsea the lead, although Burnley later equalised courtesy of a well taken freekick from Robbie Brady, Moses was however splendid for the minutes he was on the pitch.

His performance especially for the goal scored by Pedro earned him praises from English Premier League legend Jamie Carragher.

Carragher said: “You talk about the role of the wing-back with Chelsea and we’ve seen it there again.

“They go one side of the pitch to the other and that’s wing-back play at its best.

Hazard finds space, he finds Moses in space on the right and it’s a slight deflection on the pass to Pedro but coolness personified from the Spaniard in front of goal.

“You never expected him to miss.”

Captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria John Obi Mikel has spoken out about his time at Chelsea and the various manager he played under during his ten and half year stay.

Mikel who now plays for Chinese side Tianjin Teda says while it was former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho that converted him to a defensive midfielder, his best football was under manager Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo.

“There was a massive difference. Scolari wanted me to express myself the most. Under him, and Ancelotti and [Roberto] Di Matteo, I played some of my best football. Jose is all about balance. If I’m in his team, that’s what I’m doing, and that’s fine by me,” he said.

Mikel also listed Juventus Legend Allesandro Del Piero as the best number 10 he played against during his stay at Chelsea as a defensive midfielder.

“Alessandro Del Piero was the best. I played against him a couple of times when he was at Juventus. He was close to retirement, but he just was so clever. He was finding space behind me every time to get the ball. I’d think ‘I’ve got him’ but then he’d just do something. I was inexperienced, he was very experienced, and he was just too clever for me. I was trying to beat him with energy, but he could beat me with his head”.

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri says he wasn’t surprised to see Wilfred Ndidi score a spectacular drive against Derby County in the FA Cup replay which they won 3-1.

Ndidi was on for the pitch for just 282 seconds when he rifled home a cracker from the edge of the box after receiving a pass from Riyad Mahrez few metres in the half of Derby County.

While the Nigerian has earned praises for his feat, Ranieri who sanctioned the January acquisition of the midfielder cum defender says the goal didn’t come to him as a surprise.

” We know he (Ndidi) has it in him. He did it in Belgium and even in training his shooting has been very impressive during practice”, Ranieri said.

” Maybe the only surprise has to be the fact that it was taken from his weaker foot, which is the left. But that tells you his quality. He has a big future ahead of him”.

The battle for who earns the tag of third choice goalkepper for the Super Eagles has been narrowed to just two young shot stoppers in Dele Alampasu and David Nwokolor.

Ironically the duo who are now plying their trade in Europe were once upon a time up for the number one goalkepping spot at Football Academy Abuja, with Nwokolor edging Alampasu before his exploit at the 2013 U-17 World Youth Championship.

However while Alampasu currently keeps goal for Portuguese third division side Cesarense on loan from CD Feirense, Nwokolor is turning heads in Bosnia where he is on loan to Vitez from Croatian side HNK Rijeka.

Despite the gulf in class in their league status, Alampasu has more international recognition than the highy rated Nwokolor, as he has been severally invited to the senior national team unlike Nwokolor who is yet to be capped at any level.

It appears all of the above is about to change as German coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr has concluded plans to call up Nwokolor for the Eagles friendly tie against Senegal and possibly Ghana in March.

His possible call up will see him battle his long time friend Alampasu for the role of third choice goalkepper of the Eagles, with Carl Ikeme already installed as first choice while Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi are both jostling for the second choice spot.