SINKING FEELING: 7 Nigerian Players Whose European Clubs Face Relegation

As some of the top leagues in Europe gradually draw to a close this season, let's examine the survival chances of some Nigerian players whose clubs could be relegated…





LEON BALOGUN (Mainz 05: German Bundesliga)



Super Eagles defender Leon Balogun could be plying his trade in the German Bundesliga 2 next season if Mainz do not pick up the needed points in their five remaining games in the top flight.



Mainz are currently 15th in the 18-team league on 32 points and are just above the drop zone on better goals difference from Augsburg who are 16th.



Amongst Mainz's five remaining games of the season is an away trip to the Allianz Arena this Saturday against league leaders Bayern Munich.



Their other four games will see them face Borussia Monchegladbach (home), Hamburg (away), Frankfurt (home) and Cologne (away).



UCHE AGBO (Granada: Spanish LaLiga)



Uche Agbo's Granada are currently swimming in relegation waters as they are 19th in the Spanish LaLiga table.



Granada have 20 points and are seven points adrift of safety with six games remaining.



For Granada to escape relegation, they must secure vital points in their remaining six games against Sevilla who are aiming to pick a Champions League ticket, Malaga, Real Sociedad, Espanyol, Osasuna and Real Madrid who are in a title race with Barcelona.



VICTOR ANICHEBE (Sunderland: English Premier League)



Sunderland face the prospect of going down into the English Championship as they are rock bottom in the English Premier League table.



Victor Anichebe and his Sunderland teammates have 21 points and are nine points away from safety.



With six games left, Sunderland must negotiate against fellow relegation threatened teams, Swansea, Bournemouth, Middlesbrough, Hull, league leaders Chelsea and top-four hopefuls Arsenal.



GODFREY OBOABONA, NOSA IGIEBOR, BRIGHT EDOMWONYI (Rizespor: Turkish Super Lig)



Nigerian trio Godfrey Oboabona, Nosa Igiebor and Bright Edomwonyi could all go down to the Turkish second division with their club Rizespor.



Rizespor are in the relegation zone in the 16th position on 23 points in the 18-team championship.



But it is not all doom and gloom for Rizespor as they are just four points adrift.



They have seven games left to turn around their season and remain in the top flight. And the seven teams they must try and get positive results from are Istanbul Basaksehir, Fenerbahce, Bursaspor, Kasimpasa, Gaziantepspor, Osmanlispor and Alanyaspor.











TAIWO AWONIYI (NEC Nijmegen: Dutch Eredivisie)



Taiwo Awoniyi, who is on loan from Liverpool, could see NEC Nijmegen could drop down to the second tier of Dutch football if results do not improve with three games remaining.



Though currently in the relegation play-off zone on 17th spot in the 18-team league, Nijmegen have lost their last five league games and are five points above bottom team Go Ahead Eagles.



They have two home games against Excelsior and AZ Alkmaar before an away trip in their last game against Heerenven.