The UEFA Champions League underwent a major reformation in 1992 and a Nigerian, Daniel Amokachi etched his name in history as the first footballer to score a goal in the competition as Club Brugge defeated CSKA Moscow 1-0 on 25 November 1992.
Thirty-four years later, the UEFA Champions League is undergoing another major reformation as the competition will have an extended number of matches as the participating teams are now 32 with each team playing at least 8 matches before exiting or progressing in the competition.
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Later today history will be made as the group stage kick and seven Nigerians are also in the running for who will score the first goal of the new format and other first historic moments that come with the new format including winning the giant trophy.
Sports247 highlights the Nigerians to watch for in the season-long competition as they write their part in the story of the newly reformed UEFA Champions League.
Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge)
Raphael Onyedika will fly the badge of Club Brugge of Belgium, the same Amokachi made history with.
Club Brugge will start their campaign at home, at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday against last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund.
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
Ademola Lookman was the star man of the last UEFA Europa League leading the Bergamo to glory and capping the final with a Hattrick which earned him a Ballon d’Or nomination for the best male player in the world.
Atalanta will be participating in the UEFA Champions League Lookman will be in the UEFA Champions League and Ademola Lookman will be starring for them once again as the Italian side plays Arsenal at the Gewiss Stadium on Thursday.
Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan)
The Nigerian will be representing AC Milan in the competition and will have the first feel of the new format on Tuesday night when AC Milan confronts Liverpool at the San Siro Stadium in Milan.
Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen)
Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella will graduate from playing in the UEFA Europa League last season to playing in the UEFA Champions League this season having helped Bayern Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title without losing a game.
They both had a great season at the last UEFA Europa League with Bayer Leverkusen and one of the star players to watch out for in the colours of Bayern Leverkusen.
They will begin their campaign with a trip to Rotterdam to face Feyenoord.
Peter Olayinka (Red Star Belgrade)
Peter Olayinka is fast becoming one of Nigeria’s regular faces in the UEFA Champions League as the player will be looking to add his 11 appearances starting from Thursday in the new format as Red Star Belgrade host Benfica.
He will be hoping to score his first-ever goal in the competition after making his debut five years ago.
Zachary Athekame (Young Boys)
Zachary Athekame is the last but not the least that will feature as a Nigerian in the newly reformed UEFA Champions League.
The 19-year-old was born in Switzerland to Nigerian parents, he plays as a right-back defender for the Young Boys of Switzerland as he played a major role in easing the team’s passage from the qualifying stages to the group stages.
He is expected to make his debut In the prestigious competition group stage later today (Tuesday) against Aston Villa at Wankdorfstadion.
