Calvin Bassey will not feature against Mali as he returns to Fulham for treatment on his injury

FULHAM centreback Calvin Bassey will miss out on Nigeria's next friendly game against Mali taking place on Tuesday at the Grand Stade de Marrakech as he returned to his club today after picking up a knock in training.

On Friday, the Eagles beat Ghana's Black Stars 1-0 in the first of a double header against West African opposition in Marrakech and are due to play the second game against Mali on Tuesday. Bassey, was one of those who missed out on Friday's game , with injury keeping him to the sidelines.

It had been expected that he would be fit enough to play against Mali but his injury has failed to clear up and the defender who has been training alone, has now returned to London. Bassey, 24, apparently left the camp in Morocco today to receive medical attention at Fulham in the hope that he will be fit for next weekend's league game.

All the remaining 22 players are available for selection, including Bassey's Fulham team mate Alex Iwobi, who shone like a thousand stars against Ghana. Fortunately, Nigeria is not short of centrebacks for this game as defenders in camp include Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo, Chigiozie Awaziem and Benjamin Tanimu.

Coach Finidi George played a 3-5-2 formation against Ghana, so if he opts for the same formation against Mali, the only decision he will have to make is does he bring Omeruo into the team. Against the Black Stars, Finidi started with a back three made up of Tanimu on the right, Awaziem down the middle and Ajayi on the left.