Portugal will be without star forward Rafael Leão for Wednesday night’s international friendly against Nigeria after the AC Milan attacker received a red card in last weekend’s 2–0 victory over Chile.
Leão was dismissed for violent conduct after striking an opponent in the face, ruling him out of the highly anticipated encounter scheduled for 8:45 PM in Leiria.
Softfootball believes, his absence shifts even greater attention onto captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who is set to face Nigeria for the first time in his illustrious career. The Portuguese legend is expected to lead the attack as Portugal look to continue their strong run of form.
Nigeria’s defensive unit, which could feature Calvin Bassey, Emmanuel Fernandez, Bruno Onyeamachi, and Abdullahi Ibrahim Bewene will face the daunting task of keeping Ronaldo quiet. With the five‑time Ballon d’Or winner eager to add another chapter to his remarkable international journey, all eyes will be on whether the Super Eagles’ backline can prevent him from finding the net.
