Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed his frustration over the mistreatment of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and their Super Eagles teammates during the recent international break in October. The Nigerian squad travelled to Libya for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier but faced unexpected difficulties when their flight was diverted to a smaller airport in Al Abraq, 150 miles away from Benghazi. Stranded for over 16 hours, the Nigerian players described the situation as a “hostage situation” until the Nigerian government intervened to return the team to Abuja.

Silva condemned Libya’s handling of the situation as unprofessional, especially considering the absence of political tensions between the two nations. Despite the ordeal, Silva confirmed that Iwobi and Bassey would be ready to play in Fulham’s upcoming match against Aston Villa.