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By Rasaq Oboirien
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye is set to return to Serie A action next week after serving a two-month suspension.
Okoye was banned on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, for his involvement in a match-fixing betting scandal. He was found guilty of deliberately earning a yellow card during a match against Lazio as part of a rigged betting scheme.
In a recent episode of “Udinese Tonight,” which airs regularly on Monday evenings on TV12, Udinese goalkeeper Daniele Padelli shared his expectations for Okoye’s comeback to the squad.
“He’s training well, almost as if he were supposed to play every week, possibly even more than before,” Padelli said. “It has been an opportunity for him to improve on some minor weaknesses. He has prepared diligently in recent months, and now that the ‘break’ is over, it will be up to the coach to decide who plays. The only certainty is that I’ll end up further down the pecking order,” he joked.
“Maduka has a strong personality and doesn’t let expectations affect him. He’s experienced both ups and downs, which is normal, but he has grown significantly and is an important goalkeeper for us. Two years ago, despite the pressure, he made three fantastic saves in a crucial match. While the team may not have performed well in the second half of last season, I can’t recall any particular problems.”
