A hint has emerged that Girondin-Bordeaux of France winger, Samuel Kalu’s latest injury might have been induced by effects of the mental and psychological trauma he went through during the recent kidnap of his mother, according to his Ligue 1 club’s coach, Paulo Sousa.
In the wake of reports last Friday that Kalu had been ruled out of action for Nigeria in the coming days, Sousa said the youngster is down with a muscle complaint, which ruled him out of action on Sunday, but added that the lad is yet to fully recover from effects of his mum’s abduction.
Sports247.ng can report further that Kalu, who has five caps for Nigeria and a goal, since making his international debut in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Seychelles in September 2018, is not available for the Super Eagles’ next two matches in Asaba.
The first of those games is this Friday, the reverse tie against Seychelles, which he debuted against, which the second is an international friendly with Egypt four days later, but his coach admits the injury that rule him out of the March 22 and 26 games in Asaba is ‘a minor muscle’ defect.
Heading into those matches, Kalu last played for his club against Monaco on March 9, who not listed for this past weekend’s fixture against Stade Rennes, and Sousa admitted on Sunday that the recent kidnap incident was the biggest factor behind the for KAA Gent of Belgium lad’s absence.
The Bordeaux gaffer suggested in his post-match conference on Sunday that Kalu might have traveled home to Nigeria, to see his mother, as the coach added that the player saw it most important to take care of her.
Sousa expatiated: ”Kalu is suffering from a minor muscle contraction which prevented him from participating in the game.
”Most importantly, he has to take care of his mother. It’s not easy for him. We’ll see when he can come back.”
