Rivers United assistant coach Yemi Olanrewaju has questioned Nigerian clubs’ ability to compete with their continental rivals, citing differences in budgets, facilities, and infrastructure.

Olanrewaju made the remarks following Enugu Rangers’ elimination from the CAF Champions League, saying his experience in continental competitions had exposed the gap between Nigerian teams and other African clubs.

“Having qualified back-to-back for the group stage of CAF Competitions, in the CAF Confederation Cup with Enyimba and the CAF Champions League with Rivers United, I have said it that we don’t have what it takes to compete with a lot of African clubs,” he said.

The former Enyimba manager, who became Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) history’s youngest head coach during his time with the Aba club, maintained that Nigerian teams lacked the resources to compete consistently at the highest continental level.

“Our budgets, facilities and level nor reach those people,” Olanrewaju added in pidgin. “I was called different names. I’ve been there and see the levels and differences. Truth is bitter though.”

His comments followed Rangers’ 3-0 defeat to Algerian champions MC Alger in the second leg of their second preliminary round tie at the Ali La Pointe Stadium in Algiers.

The result handed MC Alger a 3-2 aggregate win after Rangers had won the first leg 2-0 in Abeokuta, ending the Nigerian champions’ hopes of reaching the group stage.

Rangers appeared to be in control of the tie until Chahreddine Boukholda opened the scoring for the hosts in the 58th minute. The visitors were given a reprieve in the 70th minute when their goalkeeper saved Mohamed Bangoura’s penalty.

However, Bangoura restored parity on aggregate with six minutes of regulation time remaining before Soufiane Bayazid scored three minutes into stoppage time to complete the comeback.

The defeat followed Rivers United’s elimination in the first preliminary round, leaving Nigeria without a representative in the Champions League group stage.

Rangers will now turn their attention to the domestic league, where they are level on points with Rivers United at the top of the table.

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