‘It disrupts the clubs’ - Sevilla manager voices concern over AFCON after losing two Nigerian attackers

Sevilla manager Matias Almeyda has voiced his concerns over the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will see the club lose key Nigerian attackers Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke for a significant period.

The seven-time Europa League champions will be without the two Super Eagles players as they depart for international duty, a situation Almeyda described as a disruption to his squad's plans. 

Both Adams and Ejuke were instrumental in Sevilla's recent 4-0 victory over Real Oviedo, with each player finding the back of the net.

The win propelled Sevilla to ninth place in the La Liga table, but maintaining that momentum will be challenging without two of their vital forwards. 

Almeyda speaks on losing two key players

Almeyda acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but stressed that he would not use their absence as an excuse.

"Of course, it disrupts the clubs," the Argentine manager stated in comments published on Sevilla's official website before the Oviedo match. 

"When I arrived, I said I would never make excuses, and we will look at how we can get players in this position. I speak a lot with the sporting director about the future."

Following the decisive win, Almeyda called on the remaining players in his squad to rise to the occasion and fill the void left by the departing Nigerians.

"We're going to have two less," he said, referring to Adams and Ejuke. "So we will continue in this battle.

"You have to maintain peace of mind, you have to stay calm and believe and work," Almeyda added. "It's in us to give the confidence to each of them to tell them that they're good and that sometimes things don't come out."

Adams and Ejuke are set to join the Nigerian national team, managed by Eric Chelle, for the AFCON 2025 tournament.

 Their first engagement will be a friendly match against Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.