Chelle confident in Super Eagles' depth despite absence of Osimhen and Lookman

The Malian manager confirmed that the two key players would be unavailable for the match in Warsaw. 

The two Nigerian stars, who have been important in the team, will miss the international friendly game due to personal reasons.

This follows Nigeria's recent 3-0 win over Jamaica in the Unity Cup final held in London last week.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Chelle highlighted the friendly as a crucial chance to experiment with different tactical setups.

"We have an interesting match ahead of us, in which we'll be able to test several solutions," Chelle stated. "We thank the Poles for their warm and friendly welcome."

Both Nigeria and Poland are in a rebuilding phase after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

The Super Eagles' campaign ended in a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to DR Congo in November 2025, a result Chelle acknowledged was tough to swallow.

However, the coach emphasised the need for his team to look ahead and concentrate on their long-term goals.

"We're sad we're not going to the World Cup, but that's life. We have to focus on our vision and strengths," he explained. 

"The match against Poland, which is a difficult opponent, is a good opportunity to test a few different approaches."

Despite missing two of his most potent attackers, Chelle remains optimistic about the players available to him.

"I've made a few decisions that I wouldn't like to elaborate on publicly," Chelle said. "However, we have a lot of good players who will certainly fill in well for those absent."

The Super Eagles held their second training session on Tuesday, finalising their strategy for the clash at Warsaw's National Stadium. 

The friendly provides another opportunity for Chelle to assess his squad as they begin to prepare for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.