Super Eagles defender Ryan Alebiosu has expressed confidence that Blackburn Rovers can turn around their recent slump as the club prepares for a run of home fixtures following his return from international duty with Nigeria. The right-back told Rovers TV that the group is determined to embrace the opportunity provided by playing three consecutive Championship matches at Ewood Park to build momentum and secure much-needed wins.
Alebiosu, who made his Super Eagles debut at AFCON 2025 in the 3–1 group-stage victory over Uganda, missed eight matches for Blackburn while on duty with Nigeria but returned ahead of their recent fixtures. He admitted the side is desperate for their first win of the season at home, noting that victories in front of their fans would help rebuild confidence and team spirit.
“We’re all trying to be as ready as we can. That first win is something the group needs and I’m sure we’ll kick on and go from there,” Alebiosu said, emphasising that the familiar surroundings of Ewood Park and the return of teammates from injury and suspension can provide a platform for positive results.
Despite Blackburn’s tough spell which has seen them winless in several recent Championship outings the former Arsenal youth product believes strong team chemistry and home support will be key factors in helping Rovers regain form in the coming fixtures against Watford, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday.
EDITORIAL
Football’s ebbs and flows are often dictated not just by tactics or talent, but by belief that quiet, almost imperceptible confidence that can transform a side’s trajectory as swiftly as a tactical switch or a goal. Ryan Alebiosu’s return to the Blackburn Rovers setup, and his palpable belief in home comforts, offers more than simple optimism it is a crystallisation of a collective yearning for resurgence.
Blackburn’s recent struggles in the EFL Championship a league as unforgiving as it is unpredictable — have been marked by a run of results that will test even the most resilient squads. In such times, the significance of playing at Ewood Park transcends geography. Home matches become rallies for identity, windows where familiarity with turf and crowd can compress weeks of malaise into moments of renewal. In that context, Alebiosu’s emphasis on the advantage of three successive home fixtures is not cliché but strategy a belief that rebuilding confidence begins where support is most visceral and unwavering.
It is also worth noting the psychological dimension of his remarks. For a defender who has recently thrust himself onto the international stage with the Super Eagles, returning to club duties with renewed purpose can act as a catalyst — both personally and for his teammates. The Championship, with its brutal demands of consistency and physicality, requires more than tactical discipline it requires morale. And morale, in rounds of fixtures where points are precious, can be fostered just as much by the shared sense of belonging and encouragement from home supporters.
Thus, Alebiosu’s confidence is not mere rhetoric but a reflection of leadership emerging from adversity. In the narrative of Blackburn’s season, home matches are more than fixtures they are opportunities — spaces where momentum can be reclaimed, where collective belief can be reignited, and where a team can rediscover its rhythm.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Ryan Alebiosu made his senior Super Eagles debut at AFCON 2025 in Nigeria’s 3–1 group-stage win over Uganda.
- Alebiosu missed eight Championship matches for Blackburn while away on AFCON duty with Nigeria.
- Blackburn Rovers are scheduled for three consecutive home games — a platform Alebiosu believes will help the team turn around their form.
- Alebiosu came through the Arsenal youth academy before moving to Blackburn, a pathway that has shaped his defensive versatility.
- He scored his first Blackburn goal in October 2025 with an equaliser in a 2–1 win over Southampton in the Championship.
