‘I'm happy to face them’ - Super Eagles goalkeeper reveals personal reasons he likes facing Atalanta

Atalanta and Udinese settled for a dramatic 2-2 draw in their latest clash in the Serie A after the visitors let a two-goal lead slip. 

Goals from Thomas Kristensen and Keinan Davis had put the visitors in a commanding position, but a pair of headers from Gianluca Scamacca secured a point for Atalanta.

Okoye played a crucial role in preserving his team's result with an outstanding late save. With just seven minutes remaining, he dived at full stretch to deny Nikola Krstović's powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Speaking to DAZN before the match, Okoye explained why facing Atalanta felt unique to him. He pointed to their recent and upcoming fixtures against top German clubs in European competitions.

"Atalanta played against Dortmund and will play against Bayern, so for me, being a German, it's special," Okoye stated. "I'm happy to face them and I want to enjoy this match."

This season, Atalanta has competed against German teams Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League, securing two wins and one loss. Their next European challenge is a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash with Bayern Munich.

When asked about potential changes in the defensive lineup ahead of him, Okoye was unfazed. 

"A different defense than usual? It doesn't change much for me. We always work together and in the same way," he commented.