FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod manager Aleksey Shpilevskiy omitted Nigeria international Olakunle Olusegun from the matchday squad as his side fell 2-0 to Zenit St. Petersburg on matchday 16 of the Russian Premier League on Sunday, November 23.

This was the first time Olusegun had missed a Russian top-flight match since joining Pari NN on loan from Krasnodar during the summer transfer window.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Shpilevskiy revealed that a knee issue prevented the forward from featuring against Zenit.

"We'll see if Olusegun is ready – he had some discomfort in his knee after the national team. We need every player," Shpilevskiy told Pari NN's official webpage. 

Pari NN medics will continue to monitor Olusegun ahead of the club's next league fixture against Akron Togliatti on Saturday, November 29.

The Super Eagles winger had been an unused substitute in the semifinal of the African playoffs of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and was not included in the matchday squad against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This season, the former Golden Eaglets star has featured in 19 matches across all competitions for Pari NN, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle will be keeping a close eye on Olusegun's condition ahead of his squad announcement for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Morocco on December 21.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel