Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has confirmed Matheus Nunes will miss Saturday’s friendly against Chile and is a doubt for Nigeria, while Joao Felix is expected to return to training and feature in the Chile game before Wednesday’s Super Eagles test.
Roberto Martinez has provided a pre-match injury update ahead of Portugal’s double-header June fixtures, confirming that Manchester City midfielder Matheus Nunes remains unfit to train and will not feature against Chile on Saturday, FootballInNigeria.com.ng reports. The bigger concern for Super Eagles supporters, however, is whether Nunes will be available when Portugal host Nigeria in Leiria on Wednesday, June 10. Martinez offered some encouragement on that front: “We hope Matheus will be fit for the second game, against Nigeria.”
The 27 year old has been a key figure in Manchester City’s system over the past two seasons, making 34 Premier League appearances in 2024/25 and contributing a goal and five assists as City lifted both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup. His ability to cover ground, press high, and progress the ball from deep midfield gives Portugal a different dimension when he plays. Whether Nigeria face him or a Portugal side without him makes a genuine difference to the tactical picture in Leiria. Super Eagles fans wanting to back Nigeria in the Portugal friendly can check the latest Bet9ja promo code before kickoff on Wednesday night.
Felix Situation More Positive
The outlook on Joao Felix is considerably brighter. The former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea forward also missed Thursday’s training session, but Martinez drew a clear distinction between the two absences. “Joao Felix will train and we will make a decision after training, but I think it’s a different situation. I feel it’s positive and that he will be fit to play against Chile,” the Belgium-born Spanish coach told reporters at his Friday press conference.
Felix is currently playing his football in Saudi Arabia, where he had an outstanding 2024/25 campaign for Al Nassr, scoring 20 goals and adding 13 assists across 33 matches. It is the most productive season of his career in terms of raw numbers, and he arrives in the Portugal camp with genuine form behind him. If he comes through Saturday’s Chile game without incident, he is very likely to feature in some capacity against Nigeria on Wednesday.
Nigerian supporters keen to follow the fitness updates and find early betting markets on the Portugal game can track developments at today’s Bet9ja promo code page where Portugal vs Nigeria odds will be available ahead of the midweek kickoff.
What the Super Eagles Are Walking Into
Even without Nunes and with question marks around Felix heading into the week, Portugal’s squad is formidable enough to present the stiffest test Nigeria have faced under Eric Chelle. Cristiano Ronaldo, who insisted on being included in the squad ahead of the World Cup, remains the focal point of the attack. Bruno Fernandes, the Manchester United captain and one of the most creative midfielders in world football, will pull the strings from deep. Ruben Dias anchors a backline that will challenge Nigeria’s forwards to earn everything they get. Rafael Leao, Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Nuno Mendes are all likely to feature in some combination.
Portugal face Chile first, which gives Martinez a chance to rotate his squad and manage minutes carefully before Nigeria arrive. Chile are at the World Cup too, so Saturday’s match is a genuine test rather than an exercise, and the fitness picture for both Nunes and Felix will become clearer by Sunday morning. Nigeria are in Lisbon and will travel to Leiria ahead of the game. The Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa kicks off at 8:45pm local time on Wednesday. This is not a match where Nigeria can expect to be dominant in possession, but Eric Chelle’s unbeaten run in regulation time 24 matches without losing in normal time — was built on exactly this kind of organised, defensively sound performance against quality opposition. Nigerian football fans placing their bets on Wednesday’s game ahead of the September AFCON qualifier window can take advantage of the Bet9ja YOHAIG welcome bonus before the fixture kicks off.
📌 Did You Know?
- Matheus Nunes joined Manchester City from Wolves in 2023 for a reported £53 million. His 2024/25 season was his most consistent at the club, but he has struggled with injuries at key moments throughout his time in the Premier League.
- Joao Felix’s 20 goals and 13 assists for Al Nassr in 2024/25 is the most productive season of his senior career. His previous best was 18 goals for Atletico Madrid in 2019/20 the season following his €126 million transfer from Benfica, which was the fourth-highest transfer fee ever paid at the time.
- Roberto Martinez, Portugal’s head coach, is Belgian born but has previously managed Swansea City, Wigan Athletic, Everton, and the Belgian national team before taking the Portugal job in 2022. He won the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic in 2013, one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.
- Portugal are in Group C at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11 in Mexico. Their group opponents include a high profile European side, making their final preparation games against Chile and Nigeria particularly important for squad fitness management.
- Nigeria’s last meeting with Portugal was a 4-0 friendly defeat in Lisbon in November 2022. That result remains the heaviest defeat of any Nigeria national team under any of their managers in the three years since. A competitive performance on Wednesday would directly address a sore point in recent national team history.
- Cristiano Ronaldo, who insisted on being selected for Portugal’s World Cup camp, will turn 42 during the tournament. If he features against Nigeria on June 10 it will be his first international appearance against the Super Eagles in a full senior international.
- Chile, Portugal’s opponents on Saturday, also qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a strong CONMEBOL qualifying campaign. Their presence in the fixture gives the Portugal game real competitive edge rather than making it a casual runout which means any fitness concerns for Nunes and Felix are being managed against a genuine test, not just training minutes.
