Taiwo Awoniyi could make his competitive return to football action this weekend as Union Berlin face Bayer Leverkusen in a Bundesliga encounter.
Awoniyi’s fellow Nigerian compatriot, Anthony Ujah will, however, be missing in action once again during Saturday’s top-flight match at the BayArena.
Awoniyi missed over three months since having a thigh issue in Union’s 0-0 draw with Schalke 04 in a league tie at the Alte Foersterei on February 13.
Union confirmed then that the Nigerian forward who has netted five goals and made an assist in 19 league appearances could be out of action for weeks.
The Liverpool loanee missed twelve matches across all competitions for his club but there is more encouraging news on Awoniyi as he has trained fully.
Union boss, Urs Fischer said at his pre-match presser: “Taiwo Awoniyi has trained and is an option for the squad but we will be without Anthony Ujah.”
Ujah is yet to make a Bundesliga appearance for Union all through the 2020/21 campaign with the attacker having been nursing a long-term knee injury.
Meanwhile, Kevin Akpoguma is set to retain his starting shirt when Hoffenheim pay a visit to Arminia Bielefeld at the Schueco Arena.
Akpoguma scored his first ever German Bundesliga goal on his return from injury to help Hoffenheim come from behind to beat already-relegated Schalke 04.
He grabbed his maiden goal in the 52nd minute to help Hoffenheim battle back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 4-2 win at the Prezero Arena last Saturday.
Akpoguma came back from injury against Bayer Leverkusen on April 12 but the centre-back suffered a setback and he missed three German top-light ties.
The 26-year-old got his first Bundesliga goal after 67 matches, 15 this season, 18 in 2019/20, four for Hannover 96 and eight for Hoffenheim in 2018/19 and 22 in 2017/18.
And now, the Nigerian defender is in line to start once again for Hoffenheim against relegation-threatened Arminia due to injury to first-choice, Chris Richards.
By Oluyemi Ogunseyin