How Tochukwu Nnadi beat Marseille struggles to become Eric Chelle’s key vs Tanzania

Tochukwu Nnadi has earned his first Super Eagles call-up of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign after forcing his way into the starting team at Olympique de Marseille.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle left the midfielder out of his squad for the first round of qualifiers in September. Nigeria began that campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Madagascar before suffering a damaging 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau.

Nnadi was recovering from an injury at the time, allowing Chelle to stick with Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Frank Onyeka in midfield.

However, things have changed for the 22-year-old, who has worked his way into Marseille’s starting team with a string of impressive performances.

After struggling for playing time following his €6 million move from Zulte Waregem, Nnadi has established himself in Marseille’s midfield since returning from a knee injury in October.

His improved form has earned him a place in Chelle’s squad for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying double-header against Tanzania.

Since his return, Nnadi has made seven appearances in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Europa League, starting five games and playing 466 minutes. He has also registered one assist and completed 264 of his 286 attempted passes, giving him an impressive passing accuracy of 92.2 per cent.

Tochukwu Nnadi fights his way into Marseille starting team

Tochukwu Nnadi’s role at Marseille has changed in recent weeks. Having started the season mostly on the bench, the Nigerian has earned the coach’s trust and become a regular in the starting line-up.

He provided his first assist of the season for Amine Harit in Marseille’s 5-2 victory over Angers on October 18. A week later, he played the full 90 minutes in the controversial 4-3 win against Le Havre.

The midfielder also featured for 87 minutes in Marseille’s 2-0 victory over Toulouse on November 1 before producing another impressive display against RC Lens on Sunday.

Nnadi completed 53 of his 54 attempted passes, recording 98 per cent accuracy, as Marseille secured a 2-1 victory. He also won six fouls and attempted one shot.

His ability to keep possession, win tackles and cover ground has made him an increasingly important player in Marseille’s midfield.

Why Chelle could turn to Nnadi against Tanzania

Tochukwu Nnadi’s return to the Super Eagles squad comes at a time when Chelle needs fresh alternatives in midfield.

The coach has left out Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika for the Tanzania double-header, handing opportunities to three young midfielders: Nnadi, Samson Tijani and Suleiman Mubarak.

Of the three, Nnadi has the strongest case for a starting place, having established himself at a club competing in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

With Onyeka and Onyedika missing, the Marseille midfielder could partner captain Wilfred Ndidi in the centre of the pitch.

Nnadi has previously named former France international N’Golo Kanté as one of his football inspirations. Like the former Chelsea midfielder, he brings energy, strong tackling and an ability to win back possession.

Those qualities could prove useful alongside Ndidi, particularly against a Tanzania side that can cause problems with quick counter-attacks.

Nigeria will host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, November 13, before travelling to Dar es Salaam for the return leg on November 17.

The Super Eagles need two positive results to strengthen their position in Group L and keep their AFCON qualification hopes on track.