Wilfred Ndidi made his first Europa League start of the season on Thursday night as Besiktas won 3-2 at Hoffenheim. The Super Eagles captain lasted until stoppage time at the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim, when Umit Akdag replaced him, in what was only his second start for the Turkish club in all competitions this term.
Amir Murillo opened the scoring on the hour. Fisnik Asllani levelled in the 68th minute. Then Oh Hyeon-Gyu struck twice, in the 72nd and 79th minutes. Koki Machida pulled one back in the 88th minute. Too late.
Two games, two wins for Besiktas in the league phase.
Why Italiano turned to Ndidi
Salih Ozcan had been the usual pick. Speaking before kick-off, in comments carried by beIN Sports Turkiye and later relayed by AllNigeriaSoccer, Vincenzo Italiano was blunt.
“This isn't a technical or tactical issue. We need to involve Ndidi as well; he deserves playing time.”
Ozcan had played a lot already, the coach said. More matches are coming. He called Ndidi “a high-level, good player” and said he expected him to do good things.
Warm words. The numbers are colder. Ndidi moved to Istanbul from Leicester City in August 2025 after eight seasons and 303 appearances in England, and he was an important figure in his first campaign, even wearing the armband in several matches. Italiano's arrival changed that. Ndidi came on in the 89th minute of the Super Lig opener against Eyupspor on 16 August. His only start before Thursday came against Alanyaspor on 23 August. He then sat unused through both legs of the Europa League play-off against Kauno Zalgiris.
By late August he had four appearances, three of them from the bench, while reports linked him with Al Ittihad before the window shut.
What it means for Nigeria
For Eric Chelle, this matters. The Super Eagles sit second in Group L on three points after beating Madagascar and losing 3-0 in Guinea-Bissau. Co-hosts Tanzania are already assured of a place at the finals, so only the best of the rest goes through, and that leaves Nigeria with very little room for error in November.
Nigeria are due to host Tanzania on 11 November. The return is four days later.
The venue is not yet nailed down. A top NFF official told The Guardian on 14 October that Lagos was under consideration but that “Uyo remains the venue for our games”. The paper added that the dates still needed CAF approval. Our earlier report on the Uyo venue decision for the Tanzania qualifier has the background.
One start does not fix a season. Ndidi, whose career is covered in our Wilfred Ndidi profile, now needs Italiano to keep picking him. Next up is a trip to Trabzonspor at Papara Park on Monday 19 October. Crystal Palace visit Istanbul in the Europa League on 22 October.
Our view
Italiano framed Thursday as rotation rather than promotion, and that is the honest reading. Chelle will want Ndidi starting again against Trabzonspor or Palace, because a captain who arrives in camp with a handful of starts behind him is a gamble in a double-header that Nigeria simply cannot afford to get wrong.
Ninety minutes in Germany helps. More is needed.
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