Nigeria Coach: "Osimhen is Here, Our Mental State is Good and Everything is Fine"

Eric Chelle, the coach of the Nigerian national team, expressed great confidence in his players ahead of the anticipated clash against Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, scheduled for today, Saturday (17:00 GMT+1). He emphasized the importance of focusing on the team's performance on the pitch.

During the pre-match press conference, Chelle addressed rumors circulating about Victor Osimhen leaving the national team camp, stating: "Victor Osimhen is here, and everything is fine."

The coach added: "My job is to stay focused and only concentrate on the pitch, and certainly my work is inside the pitch, not outside. The mental state is the most important, and the team must remain cohesive with a great spirit of solidarity. Every time you do something, there are good aspects and bad ones, but you have to stay focused, as your goal and the team are the most important."

Chelle continued: "Our mental state is good. We are physically ready, and tactically I have to make some choices, and technically we are also ready. Again, regarding what is happening around this team, I can say that I only want to focus and talk about the pitch."

The coach affirmed that his full focus is on preparing for the match, pointing out that the team is prioritizing collective performance and tactical commitment, along with the necessity of maintaining a positive mental state to ensure delivering the best possible level in the decisive encounter against Algeria.