Super Eagles star set to return from 10-month injury layoff as Porto face Anderlecht in Europa League

Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi has been included in FC Porto’s 26-man squad for their crucial UEFA Europa League clash against Anderlecht on Thursday night at Lotto Park in Brussels, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Dragons are aiming to bounce back after a rough patch, having suffered defeats to Lazio, Benfica, and Moreirense in recent weeks.

Porto are in desperate need of a win to revive their hopes of progressing further and a faceoff against the Belgian side offers a good chance for victory, in this gameweek five clash of Europe’s second-tier competition.

Anderlecht, however, present a formidable challenge. The Belgian giants are unbeaten in their last eight Europa League matches, a streak stretching back to 2018.

In a bid to break that record, Porto manager Vítor Bruno has included Nigerian full-back Sanusi in the squad for the first time this season.

The 27-year-old Sanusi has endured a difficult year, sidelined since February with a serious ACL injury.

Zaidu Sanusi, Porto
The setback came just 32 minutes into his first game back for Porto following his impressive performances at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he played a key role in helping Nigeria reach the final.

After months of rehabilitation, Sanusi made his return to action in October, featuring in two matches for Porto’s B team against Leixões and Torreense. Encouragingly, he showed no signs of a relapse, earning a recall to the first team for this high-stakes European fixture.

Should Sanusi play against Anderlecht, it would mark his 123rd appearance for Porto. The Nigerian international has contributed seven goals and one assist since joining the club from Santa Clara.

Zaidu Sanusi, Porto
Porto currently sit in a precarious position in the new Europa League format. With just four points from four matches, they occupy 22nd place in the overall standings, where only the top 24 teams advance to the knockout stages.

Sanusi’s return could provide a timely boost as Porto look to reignite their campaign. A win against Anderlecht, who are joint-second in the group, is imperative if the Dragons are to keep their Europa League dreams alive.