'We know Oshoala' - Barcelona's Spain midfielder Bonmati ahead of Super Falcons' must-not-lose match 

Six players named in Nigeria's squad to the 2024 Olympic Games have the experience of playing in the Spanish Liga F, namely Osinachi Ohale, Chidinma Okeke, Toni Payne, Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu and Rasheedat Ajibade.

Of the aforementioned Super Falcons stars, Oshoala stands out, having won the Primera División five times, the Champions League twice as well as Supercopa de España Femenina, Copa de la Reina and Copa Catalunya during her stint with Barcelona. 

Sunday evening's match between La Roja and Super Falcons has been billed as a must-not-lose game for the African powerhouse after they were beaten 1-0 by Brazil in their opener three days ago.

Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí, one of the leaders of Spain women's national team, is relishing the prospect of meeting a Nigerian player she knows very well, Oshoala. 

Aitana Bonmatí and Oshoala were teammates at Barcelona for five years before the reigning African Footballer of the Year joined NWSL club Bay FC in February 2024.

In an interview with Spanish news agency EFE, via Mundo Deportivo, Bonmatí stated: "Yes, Patri and I and other teammates from the same group have faced Nigeria several times…

"We know Oshoala from the team (ex-Barcelona striker) so it is also 'cool' to meet up with teammates that you have played with along the way."

Bonmatí scored against the Nigeria team at the 2018 Fifa U20 Women's World Cup and the Falconets team had future stars such as Chiamaka Nnadozie, Chidinma Okeke, Christy Ucheibe, Rasheedat Ajibade and Gift Monday. 

The Barcelona star also played against Chinwendu Ihezuo at the 2016 Fifa U20 World Cup and was an unused substitute for Spain in their 3-0 win over the Flamingos at the 2014 Fifa U17 World Cup. 

Sharing her expectations for today's game against Nigeria, Bonmatí said: "Yes, that's true, although I've played against them two or three times in the lower categories, if I remember correctly.

"They're a team that is always characterized by the same thing, very, very physical, with those quick counterattacks and with players up front who are unbalanced.

"They're a different team to us, but that's what we're here for, to adapt to any type of match."

Bonmatí entered into the history books as the first ever player to score for Spain at the Olympic Games during their 2-1 win over Japan on Thursday, July 25.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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