Fractured Hand: Only Referee can clear Mikel against Argentina

Federation of International Football (FIFA) has said only Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir can decide whether Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi will be available for selection ahead of the team’s decisive group D World Cup showdown against Argentina tonight.

This was revealed by the official team reporter assigned to Team Nigeria by the football governing body
Annette Braun on Monday evening.

“Last training session started for team Nigeria – and John Obi Mikel is on board. He has a hand
fracture and visited the hospital as soon as the team arrived in Saint Petersburg. He is able to play
tomorrow with a protection though if the referee allows it,” Braun tweeted.

Mikel injured his wrist in Nigeria’s last game against Iceland and since then has been training with
the cast.

Cakir will decide if the cast around Mikel’s wrist will be injurious to other players or not. If not safe he will have to sit out the game, if otherwise he will be free to play.