As the Super Eagles prepare for their final round of AFCON qualifying games against Benin and Rwanda, team coordinator, Patrick Pascal is confident that the recent travel issues in Libya will not hinder the squad’s focus.
With the squad list released and training camp set to open in November in Abidjan, Pascal addressed concerns over the incident in October, when the team was stranded at an airport in Libya for over 18 hours.
He assured that this experience would not impact the players’ morale as they gathered for their first assembly since the event.
In an interview with Brila.net, Pascal emphasized that the support shown by both the Nigerian government and the football federation helped alleviate any potential negative effects.
Stranded: Super Eagles players left in the Al Abraq Airport for 15 hours. The Players and team officials slept on seats. Photo | X
He expressed confidence that the players recognize this support, which will reinforce their mental strength as they head into the decisive matches.
“If the federation didn’t try and the Government of Nigeria didn’t do anything, definitely the players will feel somehow, but now the federation has taken a bold step and the government of Nigeria has supported the federation for the players to come back,” Pascal explained.
“I don’t think it will affect the players because we’ve gotten justice and CAF giving Nigeria the maximum 3 points.”
Currently, the three-time African champions top their group with 10 points; with just one more point to secure qualification for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
