Former Golden Eaglets star and Villarreal midfielder Samuel Chukwueze says he hopes to meet Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho in the finals of the Spanish second division playoff.
Chukwueze’s Villarreal B team face Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Segunda B quarter-finals on Sunday, while Uzoho’s RCD Deportivo Fabril are away to Extremadura UD the same day with the return leg billed for the 26th or 27th of May.
While Chukwueze started the season with Villarreal’s U19 team, he was promoted to the team B after an impressive campaign which saw him net seven goals playing from the wings including a stunning hat-trick in an 8-3 win over UCD Murcia in March, Uzoho on the other hand has so far this season kept 15 clean sheets for RC Deportivo Fabril in 25 games.
Speaking ahead on their trip to Bilbao, Chukwueze who missed Flying Eagles 2-2 draw away to Guinea-Bissau hailed Uzoho as one of the best goalkeepers in the La Liga Segunda B and they both meet in the play-off final.
“As a Nigerian, I wish him the best and hope our teams both do well and we meet in the final. He’s a very good goalkeeper with his height and one of the best in our division. I’m happy for him that he’ll be going to the world cup.”
The 19-year-old former Arsenal target also expressed his disappointment for missing Nigeria’s U2O match with Guinea Bissau but promised to hit camp after the playoffs next month.
“I’m very disappointed to miss the (Guinea Bissau) match. I spoke with the coach and I explained to him that I won’t be available because of our (Villarreal) play-off match,” continued Chukwueze
“I thought I would be available when the U19s season ended but I was promoted to the team B, which is a good thing. I hope to help my team in the pay-off and then return to Nigeria to join the Flying Eagles camp.”
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