'We played matches with Ndidi and lost' - NFF president backs Yusuf to shine at AFCON after Barcelona display 

Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Gusau has given a vote of confidence to Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro has called up Yusuf, who was named in the provisional AFCON squad, to join the main squad as a replacement for Leicester City ace Wilfred Ndidi who could be sidelined for up to three months due to a muscle-related injury. 

Yusuf is untested at international level as he has yet to make his debut for the three-time African champions. 

However, Gasau is backing the 2019 Allsvenskan Newcomer of the Year to step into the big shoes of Ndidi who is arguably the second most important player in the Super Eagles squad after Victor Osimhen.

Defending the invitation of Yusuf, the Nigerian Federation boss cited the defensive midfielder's impressive performance in Antwerp's shock win against Barcelona in the Champions League last month. 

Speaking to Totori News, Gasau said: "I don't have any tension because I know we played a lot of matches without Ndidi and we won a lot of matches without Ndidi. We played a lot of matches with Ndidi and lost unexpectedly so it's not about Ndidi, it's about the national team of Nigeria.

"The young boy that was brought in now, Yusuf is also doing wonderfully well with his team. When they played against Barcelona, you can see the performance he put on in the win against Barcelona in the Champions League.

"He's also a young boy, maybe it's an opportunity for him to do a miracle. Don't forget everybody did not have confidence in Mba when we went to the AFCON in 2013 and at the end of the day Mba was part of the players that performed a miracle.

"Nobody knows what Yusuf is going to be in the team so it's not about Ndidi, it's about the Super Eagles."

Of the last ten games played by Nigeria without Ndidi getting minutes, the Super Eagles have managed three wins, drawn four while losing three. 

Nigeria have racked up seven wins, drawn once and lost twice in Ndidi's last ten games for the national team - buttressing the point that he's an indispensable player.  

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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