Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle says his side have not had enough time on the training ground to prepare for Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea-Bissau.
The Super Eagles have had only two days of training in Uyo before travelling to Bissau on Sunday evening for their Group L, matchday two fixture.
Several foreign-based players also joined the squad late because of club commitments, further reducing the time available to Chelle and his technical staff.
“We didn’t have some training sessions to work a lot and this is the problem of this kind of FIFA window,” Chelle said at his pre-match press conference in Bissau on Monday.
“You have only one or two training sessions to prepare, after that you have one or two training sessions to recover and you have to travel.”
The compressed international window has made it difficult for the coaching team to work extensively with the players, but Chelle insists Nigeria remain focused on securing victory against the Djurtus.
Guinea-Bissau lead the group after beginning their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 away win against Tanzania.
The match will be the third meeting between the two nations in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. The previous two encounters produced one win for each side.
Chelle expects a demanding contest against opponents he believes have considerable quality, including players competing in European competition.
“Guinea-Bissau, they have a great team and they have some players who play in Europa so this is a big game and the most important thing for us is to try to go forward, try to get the victory but it would not be easy,” he said.
The Nigeria manager also stressed the importance of maintaining concentration as the Super Eagles look to build on their opening result and make progress in the group.
“We have to stay focused on our group and our state of mind which is the most important thing,” he added.
Nigeria’s limited preparation comes during the same FIFA window affecting the other teams involved in the qualifying campaign. However, Chelle said his players are ready to compete for all three points in Bissau.
The Super Eagles will be seeking a result that keeps them in contention at the top of Group L, while Guinea-Bissau will aim to protect the advantage gained from their opening victory in Tanzania.