After being named La Liga’s Goal of the Month winner for March, Nigeria’s Umar Sadiq will lead the Valencia attack at the Bernabéu this weekend as he looks to score his first goal in April — and finally break his duck against Real Madrid and close friend Antonio Rudiger, Footynaija.com reports.
Since joining Valencia on loan from Real Sociedad in January, Sadiq has rediscovered his scoring touch, netting four times and playing a key role in Carlos Corberán’s revival of the team’s fortunes.
But Saturday presents a personal challenge for the 27-year-old: overcoming both Real Madrid and a defender who knows him well.
Sadiq and Rudiger’s story goes back to Roma, where they shared the dressing room in the 2015-16 season.
While Sadiq was then part of the Primavera side, he caught the eye by scoring vital goals when called up to the senior team — playing alongside legends like Totti, Salah, and Džeko. Rudiger, impressed by the Nigerian’s resilience, formed a strong bond with him.
Rudiger wishing Sadiq Umar on his birthday pic.twitter.com/krpXVNx1wP
— Man (@AbdulrahmanIG) February 4, 2022
They have since met three times in Spain, including twice within Sadiq’s first month in La Liga. Rudiger’s Real Madrid won all three meetings, and Sadiq is yet to score in any of them.
The Nigerian’s career took a hit with a serious injury after his last outing against Madrid, prompting Rudiger to post a heartfelt message on Instagram: “Stay strong, my brother. The Almighty knows why. Come back stronger.”
Umar Sadiq X Rudiger old friends pic.twitter.com/MaaytGjKhx
— I’m Aboki. (@Babangiida1) September 14, 2024
Sadiq has indeed bounced back. He’s now Valencia’s focal point in attack and hungry for a statement performance.
This weekend, he has a chance to rewrite his record against Rudiger and Real — and perhaps celebrate with another goal-of-the-month contender.
