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On Sunday, Nigerian striker Akor Adams would be hoping to be in the fray along with his compatriot , Chidera Ejuke , when Sevilla FC travel to Estadio Benito Villamarín to face Real Betis in the Elgran Derbi which is considered one of the hottest local derbies in the La Liga and world football in general. The 25-year-old Adams , who only moved to Spain in January from France where he last turned out to French Ligue 1 side, Montpellier, hopes he would get a role to play for the Blanquirrojos in what is expected to be a tough match, giving the long rivalry between both Spanish outfits over the year, writes MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN,
In the Spanish LaLiga’s mythology, derbies don’t come bigger as much as Elgran Derbi otherwise known as The Great Derby or Seville Derby and this Sunday, all eyes would yet gain be on Sevilla FC complete with Nigerian duo of Chidera Ejuke and Akor Adams as they travel away to Real Betis.
According to the LaLiga: “Seville, the Andalusian capital, is home to one of Spanish football’s most colourful derby meetings, between Real Betis and Sevilla FC. Both teams will set out to another victory to their own win column this next matchdayners, the Seville derby rivalry has divided allegiances and even families within the city for over a century.”
While Ejuke was part of the last outing between both sides when Sevilla edged Betis 1-0 in October 2024 at their Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium, Sunday’s encounter offers Adams the opportunity to witness the established long-drawn battles between the two local rivals after overcoming a recent injury lay-off.
“The match between Sevilla FC and Real Betis is about one of the hottest derbies in Spain,” Adams admitted while fielding questions on a La Liga session with a cross section of Nigerian media. “It’s called Elgran Derbi , which is one of the biggest in the world.
“ I think just only few derbies are bigger than the Seville Derby between Sevilla and Real Betis because the clubs are just 10 minutes apart or even lesser from each other .”
Adams joined Sevilla in the January transfer window after a very prolific couple of seasons with Montpellier in France and before that, kicking his career off in Norway. His start in Spain was hampered somewhat by injury but was back on the pitch penultimate weekend before the international break. He would obviously be coming back into the team at the right time starting with this weekend’s fixture away to Betis.
Indeed, Adams agreed that it would be a great honour for him to be part of the Seville Derby coming up when Betis host Sevilla at the Estadio Benito Villamarín , where a former Nigeria international striker, Finidi George, remains a household name.
He said: “I think from this standpoint, to be honest, I’m not thinking so much about what’s going to happen (against Real Betis) because as a club, Sevilla has an objective and though it’s the Seville Derby, it’s one of the games in the season to get us points.
“Of course, Finidi is a legend and to walk in that path would just be a privilege.
“I’ll just try to enjoy it as much as possible,” he added.
For Adams, former Barcelona and Real Madrid legend, Brazilian Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima,is one particular player that has made a huge impression on him right from his growing up years in Nigeria.
“ I think the person I’ve tried to watch a lot from my early days and even while at Lillestrøm and Montpellier and even up till now, it is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima,” he said. “He’s a striker that enjoys the game and he also score goals
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“ It’s something i want to keep doing too; i don’t want to lose the joy while playing the game.
“Of course, I also watch a lot of Didier Drogba drop as well and because we have almost the same kind of stature and we play almost in the same kind of ways.
“ So, these are the two strikers I really watched a lot and I take little of every other strikers that i can learn something from but on the whole , it’s Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima and Didier Drogba that has stood out for me.”
Currently in the midst of some competition with some outstanding strikers including the likes of Dodi Lukebakio, Juanlu Sanchez and Isaac Romero, Adams said he is at the ready to compete with the best in order to bring out the best of himself for the Blanquirrojos.
“ I think I love competition because if it’s too easy, then it’s not worth it ,” Adams said matter-of-factly. “At a club as big and great club as Sevilla, you cannot run away from a competition.
“The club has a lot of ambition and if I’m the one who is playing, i know I have to be on my toes because other guys who are who are not playing are watching.
“ It’s a healthy competition with Dodi with Isaac and even with Chidera, it’s a very healthy ] competition we all know that we want the best for ourselves and for the club.
“ The coach tries to make it very, very fair so the competition is healthy .I’m in the right group, so i want to impress , I want to come to the stadium and perform ; i want to come to the stadium and score goals.
“ If it doesn’t happen, okay but I am very confident that I’m in the right place, in the right group so there’s no pressure,” he noted.
Meanwhile, in a wide range of questions, Adams pulled no punches as he opened up to media on his trajectory like never before across sundry issues. Excerpts…
From Montpellier to Sevilla
Nobody tells you (about how big Sevilla FC is) , you just know that it’s a great club. And there is one phrase I’ve learned since I came here and it literarily means , ‘ there is only one great club which is Sevilla’. You don’t need to be told because you feel it right away from the atmosphere at the club , how everything is set up, the professionalism of everything. It’s a great club with great history, and not just history, even until now. I have just been here for just two months and I feel a part of everything going on. It’s been really, really good for me.
Joining Sevilla
You just don’t say no to a club like Sevilla. If you go through the archives of the club, you’ll see the mark they have made and I’ve watched Sevilla countless number of times in Europe . Even while I was in Nigeria growing up from the academies, we get to talk about them. So, for me being a player of Sevilla , it’s not just only a privilege but an opportunity I could not turn down .There were clubs that were speaking to me but once Sevilla came into the picture, it was done because from the analysis and how they know me what they want from me. They were very direct in the project they want. I wanted to be part of something that is going somewhere and in the direction I want. They are the kings of Europe as it stands. So I want to be the king of Europe as well. That for me, is a big opportunity.
Settling down and coping with new life in Seville
I was in France for a season and a half and I’ve been in Sevilla for two months but like I said, until you come inside (this club) you don’t know how big it is. It looks very great outside but it is even greater inside as well and you feel it in the sense of the administration of the club. I’ve no worries to get settled in. I did not have to worry about anything, about where to live or how to go about my day, I just have to train and because everything is fixed for you. So, settling down has been very good for me. I’m learning the (Spanish) language. I’m trying to do many things to get into the society. And yeah, I don’t really do so much. I don’t go out a lot. So I just finish from training, try to rest up for the next training. So life is kind of a routine. I don’t do so much outside of the beach. Yes, restaurants and sometimes in the city to see one or two things. There are many good places an Seville is a lovely city.
I am very, very passionate about learning languages because I think even outside of football, it develops you as a person. So I tried my best with French. I can speak at least a little bit of English and I’m learning Spanish by the grace of God as well. With these three languages , I think I can be confident and comfortable around the world. So I’m trying and the guys, we are just throwing banters here and there. I say something wrong and everybody laughs but I’m comfortable with that.
Battling with injury after joining Sevilla
It’s unfortunate. That’s the truth about getting injured when you’re just coming to a team. But like I said, they knew me and they know what they wanted. So I was not in this place to just prove myself. Maybe, that is only applicable to the fans, but not to the club because the club signed me because they know me. I’ve got all the right support from the medical staff .From the coaches, I’ve had the biggest support and you could see from videos how happy they were when i joined the first training last week. So the group as well the boys have been very encouraging to me even when i was not on the pitch with them.
The medical team is fantastic and they’ve done the best to help me come back to fitness in a very, very quick time. The injury did not come at a good time but everything happens for a reason .
Being with Ejuke and other Nigerians at Sevilla.
I met Kelechi Iheanacho when I got here and there is also Chidera Ejuke here at Sevilla. Kelechi is a top, top guy. For the few weeks I was able to spend with him. I have known Chidera for some time and the fact that we worked under the same agency, made it easier for me too.
Dreams of playing for Nigeria
I would like to represent Nigeria on the national level. I would say, yes (playing for Nigeria) because it’s not an ambition. It’s a dream, you know. It’s a dream to be able to wear the colours of your country. I have before (U20 level) . So I’m think about doing it again, not just for me, for my family, it’s would be thing of joy to play with the Super Eagles. We are over 200 million, that’s a lot of people and you will be counted lucky if you get a chance to play for the national team and that’s how i see the senior national team and that it will come in God’s time.
Recent Super Eagles call up
Firstly for the Super Eagles, I think (the possibility of getting called up) has been coming up for the past two three years now and to finally get a call, even though I was just coming back from injury , I’m very grateful to God. We have so many players in Nigeria and to be part of the coach (Eric Sekou Chelle) 39-man , means I’ve done something right and by the grace of God I’m now in the right place to take that step forward. The focus for me right now is absolutely on Sevilla because we have a lot of objectives to catch up to this season. The better I do for my club, I think the opportunity for the national team will come,” he stressed. “We (Nigeria) have really good strikers but I think everybody has their place.”
Being Benue Boy through-and-through
My journey has been very, very long to be honest. I am born in Kogi State because my dad worked there as a teacher but I am from Benue State originally. My both parents are from Otukpo in Benue State. I’m Idoma originally. Like I said earlier, I was born in Kogi state, so I speak Igala as well. And then I grew up in Minna, so I speak Hausa as well.
Favourite foods
I try to stay as professional as possible. I don’t overindulge in the Western or by indulging in the African dishes. i just do what my body wants and I’ve patterned this over a n a couple of years with the chef and so, i just eat what my body really need. Actually, I have not eaten so much Nigerian foods since I got to Seville . I try to take rice and all of these things, but I’ve not eaten so much Nigerian foods because I eat most times in the clubhouse and they just give us what is good for us. But my favourite Nigerian food is rice and beans .
Battling with racism
For me, I have not personally experienced it, not in the clubs that I’ve been, to be honest. And the group that I am now, from the staff, from the club to the least person, everybody is welcoming and taking everybody in. And in the last game, if you saw the game we played against Bilbao, we’re having a shirt against racism for the entrance of the first team. So I think the LaLiga is doing a lot on their own to put a stop to racism. In my own club here at Sevilla, there is nothing like that.
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