Super Eagles coach, José Peseiro, has declared that the players will not be intimidated by the atmosphere when Nigeria takes on hosts Ivory Coast in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, on Sunday.
Ivory Coast will be out for a revenge after they were beaten 1-0 by the Super Eagles on matchday two in Group A.
The Super Eagles are now focused on winning their fourth AFCON title while the Elephants are seeking to lay hands on their third title.
Peseiro, who addressed the press on Saturday ahead of the crunch final revealed that his team won’t be intimidated by the harsh atmosphere.
“I think it is good. The stadium will be full, fantastic atmosphere. One final, my players, me, and all my staff prefer to play in a full stadium with a good atmosphere,” Peseiro told reporters.
“Even sometimes, they try to shout at us, not the football but it is a good atmosphere to play in the final, only need to concentrate on what must do on the pitch, our task, job, demand, commitment, sacrifice, spirit, and what we must do in each moment of the game to manage our mental balance, before the match, along the match.
“It is for our players to put effort when the people around push for Côte d’Ivoire, you don’t feel the opposite when they push for the opponent but if you want to play, you need to play with the same enthusiasm and motivation, because you want to win this AFCON, no favorite for tomorrow but you want to win this AFCON.”
