Nigeria forward Sadiq Umar has revealed he is playing through the pain barrier to help his Dutch Eredivisie side NAC Breda avoid relegation.
Sadiq missed NAC Breda’s last game of the season at Twente which ended 1-1 and has sparingly played in their last three games with a combined total of 25 minutes as a substitute in their last two games.
In an exclusive chat, the Olympic gold medalist for Nigeria who has scored seven goals in the Dutch topflight since his loan move from Roma revealed how he had to take pain injections just so he could help NAC Breda beat the drop.
“I have been taking injections to enable me play,” the former Torino
foward began.
“I really wanted to help my team and I didn’t mind. I’m glad it paid off and I scored some important goal to help the team stay in the Dutch Eredivisie.”
NAC Breda coach Stijn Vreven confirmed the 21-year-old has been using pain killers to cushion the injury he was nursing as they approached the business end of the season with relegation starring them in the face.
“Sadiq is not fully fit. The last game he scored for us against Sparta he had to take injections to play in that game and that was why he was introduced for the last 15 minutes of the game,” the coach revealed.
“Last game he played for just five minutes despite not training at all in the build up to the game.”
Umar, 21, has been a revelation since he moved from AS Roma on loan to Dutch Eredivise side NAC Breda and has forced himself into reckoning as Nigeria coach Genert Rohr mulls his final team selection for the World Cup.
Umar was the top scorer for Nigeria at the Rio 2016 Olympics with four goals.
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