The senior national team of Nigeria have two major injury concerns as they build up to the start of the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup which begins on the 3rd of September with a game at home against Liberia.
Coach Gernot Rohr is warming up to the possibility of not having the services of two of his most trusted lieutenants in Joe Aribo of Scottish side Rangers and Samuel Chukwueze of Villarreal.
Aribo is still struggling to be fully fit after ending last season with an injury. He was in and out of the team for pre season games and despite playing in the first league game of the season he was conspicuously missing from the squad for the UEFA Champions League qualifiers 1-2 loss to Malmo.
Coach of his team Steven Gerrard explained after the game that the 25 year old missed the game due to injury and it was why he was substituted in the 3-0 league win over Livingstone which was their first competitive game of the season.
Chukwueze is also yet to resume full training with Villarreal as he is yet to recover from the injury that brought his season to an early end last term out. He is almost certainly out of the UEFA Super Cup clash against Chelsea on Wednesday.
Nigeria have less than a month to the game against Liberia and Rohr will no doubt be worried about the duo as they will likely even miss the second game against Cape Verde which is three days after the Liberia game.