Nigerian Midfielder Eligible To Represent Real Madrid In Champions League

Published: September 05, 2018

Nigerian midfielder Marvin Olawale Akinlabi Park is now eligible to represent European champions Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Real Madrid have submitted a 31-man player roster to UEFA but have not included the attacking-minded midfielder although he is qualified to play via the List B as he has been on the books of Los Blancos since 2016.

A player may be registered on List B if he is born on, or after, 1 January 1997 and has been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday.

The two-footed Akinlabi is also eligible to be named on Real Madrid's UEFA Youth League roster and may make his debut in the competition when they face CSKA Moscow, Roma and Viktoria Plzeň in the group stage.

The 18-year-old had stops at Sporting Ciudad de Palma, Tranmere Rovers, La Salle and Es Jonquet Penya Arrabal before his move to Real Madrid.

Last season, he was part of Real Madrid's Juvenil C squad that won the league and set a new record by winning all their matches in the second round of the league and accumulating 91 points.

The uncapped Akinlabi is qualified to represent Spain, Nigeria and South Korea internationally.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : realmadrid.com