Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire has dismissed rumours that Nigeria’s Super Eagles are eyeing a pre-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) friendly game against Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
Olajire, in a statement made available to www.aclsports.com on Friday unequivocally dismissed the notion that both countries are set to meet in France, insisting that the Eagles’ itinerary before the tournament is well and truly cast in stone, without a Moroccan date in it.
“We finalized our program leading up to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations long before now and have publicized same, and a match with the Atlas Lions of Morocco is not on the cards,” clarified Olajire in the release.
“For avoidance of doubt, the Super Eagles will set up a camp in Asaba, Delta State as from Saturday, 2nd June, play a friendly with the Warriors of Zimbabwe on 8th June and fly to Egypt the following day.
“They will set up a final training camp in Ismailia and then play a friendly against Africa’s number one –ranked team, Senegal in Ismailia on 16th June. On 17th June, they will depart Ismailia for Alexandria – venue of their AFCON Group B matches.”
A foreign news medium Medias24 had published quotes attributed to Nigeria’s head coach Gernot Rohr late last month inside of which the Frenchman allegedly hinted of ongoing talks between the NFF and the Moroccan Federation.
Nigeria are making a return to Africa’s flagship football tournament, the AFCON in Egypt after six years of absence. They have been grouped alongside Burundi, Guinea and Madagascar in Group B of the tournament with all their games holding in Alexandria.