Paul Onuachu: Where does Super Eagles star stand ahead of Trabzonspor vs Freiburg clash?

Super Eagles forward Paul Onuachu is in contention to feature for Trabzonspor in their UEFA Conference League clash against Freiburg on Thursday.

Onuachu returned to action for the Turkish Cup winners when he started their 2-0 victory over Gaziantep on Sunday after missing their previous two league matches through injury.

The 32-year-old played just over an hour in the encounter. Although he failed to get on the scoresheet, his return was welcome news for Trabzonspor as the Nigerian striker continues to work his way back to full fitness.

Onuachu has endured a slow start to the season, scoring just twice in eight league appearances. He has also struggled to rediscover the form that saw him win the Golden Boot award last season alongside Istanbul Basaksehir’s Eldor Shomurodov.

However, Thursday’s clash against Freiburg presents another opportunity for the Nigerian forward to show what he can offer, although doubts remain over how much involvement he will have in the game.

Trabzonspor coach provides Paul Onuachu update ahead of Freiburg clash

Onuachu’s return against Gaziantep was welcome news for Trabzonspor, especially with Franculino Dju, who competes with the Super Eagles striker for the starting centre-forward role, also an injury doubt and unavailable for Sunday’s encounter.

Head coach Thomas Reis had confirmed ahead of the clash on Sunday that Onuachu would be carefully assessed and managed to avoid aggravating his injury.

“Paul Onuachu is with us after his injury”, Reis told Gunebakis.

“Today’s match will also be an important opportunity for Noah Saviolo. As I said, we have a good team on the field, we have a strong team on the field and we are like a family. Therefore, all our friends who play on the field always give the best they can.”

Although Onuachu could feature against Freiburg, his chances of playing the full 90 minutes remain uncertain, with Trabzonspor keen to manage his workload as they prepare for a busy run of fixtures.

Reis also made it clear that the club would not rush the Nigerian striker back into action, explaining that his involvement would depend on how he responds during the game.

“As you know, unfortunately, he just returned from injury and his immediate return from injury is actually this match. Therefore, there will be matches ahead of us. Of course, we will take this into consideration, but we will decide during the match”, the Trabzonspor coach added.

“I just mentioned it; we are very happy because of his return, we are very happy to have him with us. But we will see whether he plays 90 minutes today or not in the match”, he concluded.

Onuachu hoping to add to his Conference League tally

Paul Onuachu will also be hoping to add to his Conference League goal tally after scoring in Trabzonspor’s 4-2 victory over KuPS before being forced off with an injury during that encounter.

The Super Eagles forward had started to find his feet in the competition before the setback interrupted his progress, and he will be eager to pick up where he left off.

With his return to the starting lineup against Gaziantep, Onuachu has taken an important step towards regaining full fitness. However, Trabzonspor are unlikely to take unnecessary risks, especially with several important matches still to come.

Whether he starts against Freiburg or comes off the bench, the 32-year-old will be hoping to make his minutes count and help Trabzonspor secure another important result in the competition.