The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Coach of Fulham, Marco Silva, has disclosed that his team has missed the services of Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, who are now representing Nigeria.

The pair last played for the Cottagers in a Premier League match that took place at Craven Cottage in December 2023, when they defeated Arsenal 2-1.

Since then, they have participated in the AFCON with the Super Eagles and have been instrumental in helping José Peseiro’s team get to the competition’s final, where they will take against Ivory Coast.

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Like Iwobi, who was also listed as a replacement once, Bassey has only failed to start a game for the three-time African champions, and that was the first match against Equatorial Guinea.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference for Fulham’s match against Bournemouth tomorrow, Silva acknowledged that the Nigerian internationals had been missed but wished them well for the Sunday final.

“Of course we have been watching. It’s mixed feelings for us. It’s been a long time without two key players for us. Right now, we are supporting them in the final,” Silva said.

If everything goes according to plan, both players should be available for the London team’s Premier League match at Craven Cottage against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Iwobi and Bassey are new to the Cottagers; they joined the team in the summer and have played 19 and 18 games, respectively.