Soccer
Nigeria and Millwall winger Femi Azeez. Copyright: xNewsxImagesx IMAGO
Millwall head coach Alex Neil has clarified the absence of Super Eagles forward Femi Azeez from their preseason friendly defeat to Stevenage last weekend, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Lions had also been defeated 1-0 by Gillingham in the match prior to that, as they continue preparations for the 2026-27 season.
Millwall narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season after they were defeated by Hull City in the semifinals of the Championship playoffs, following a third-placed finish in the league.
The Super Eagles forward’s future has been uncertain since the end of last season, after he enjoyed a superb campaign and almost masterminded their return to the Premier League.
He scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 38 games across all competitions and was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Season for an impressive year.
Since the end of the domestic season, he has gone on to make his debut for the Super Eagles, scoring a brace in the 2-0 win over Zimbabwe in the Unity Cup semifinal, while also playing an influential role in the final victory over Jamaica.
Soccer Azeez: Neil explains Super Eagles star’s absence from preseason defeat
Femi Azeez was a notable absentee when the Lions lined up for another taste of preseason action last weekend, and he was greatly missed as they suffered yet another defeat.
His absence had raised doubts over his future, sparking rumors about whether a potential transfer or other concerns were behind his missing the clash.
Speaking during an interview with NewsAtDen, Neil revealed that the Super Eagles forward, along with some other key members of the squad, missed the match due to illness. However, he is expected to return for their next preseason fixture in what will be a major boost for the side.
“Femi should be over his illness, so he should be involved. Alfie should hopefully be over his illness, so he should be involved”, Neil said in quotes reported by One Football.
“We’re starting to get people back. But the whole point of pre-season is you want to try and keep everybody fit and available from the start to the end, so they’ve all had the full time.
“Unfortunately for us so far, that’s not been the case.”
Azeez is in contention to return for Millwall’s next preseason clash against another League One side, Bromley FC, on Tuesday, marking his first appearance of the summer.
Ayomide Oguntimehin
Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and Chief Editor at Soccernet.ng. He has interviewed Super Eagles stars like William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ademola Lookman, and is known for breaking major transfer stories.
Ayomide has worked with Sports Brief, Naija News and served as Social Lead Editor at Legit.ng. He has also featured on Goal, TVC News, Sports Mole, and Milan News24. He holds a Master’s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD. Follow Ayomide on X (formerly Twitter): @ayo_oguntimehin
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