Real Oviedo may have suffered a heavy defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday night, but there was at least one bright spot for the club and Nigerian football: the long-awaited return of Ovie Ejaria, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 27-year-old midfielder, once tipped for stardom at Liverpool and Arsenal, finally made his La Liga debut in Oviedo’s 3-0 loss at the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere. It was Ejaria’s first competitive appearance in nearly three years.
Madrid, led by head coach Xabi Alonso, were ruthless against the newly-promoted side. Kylian Mbappe struck twice before Vinicius Junior added a late third to complete a convincing win for the Spanish giants. Yet for Oviedo boss Veljko Paunovic, the night was not without its positives.
Introduced in the 72nd minute for Luka Ilic, Ejaria showed glimpses of the quality that once made him one of England’s brightest prospects.
Despite his team being on the back foot, the former England youth international midfielder completed all 10 of his passes, won three of his four duels, provided a key pass, and showed defensive awareness with a clearance and a tackle. Crucially, he did not give away possession once.
Paunovic, who previously coached Ejaria at Reading, was quick to highlight his importance.
“He’s a star, you’re going to love him here,” the Serbian coach said as per Eldersmarque.
“We have to be cautious with his physique; he’s been out for a long time. Little by little, he’s getting back into shape. He feels the affection of the fans and the people around him. He’s an important player for us who’s adding value.”
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A difficult road back
Ejaria’s journey back to the professional game has been anything but straightforward.
His last competitive outing came in November 2022 for Reading in a Championship defeat to Watford. Injury problems sidelined him for more than a year before his departure from the Royals in December 2023.
Since then, Ejaria has faced multiple setbacks in his search for a new club.
Ejaria, who made eight appearances for Liverpool including two in the Premier League, trialled with Plymouth Argyle in England, then tried his luck with Egyptian giants Zamalek under José Gomes, another of his former managers. Finally, he reunited with Paunovic at Real Oviedo in July 2025, signing a two-year contract after impressing in training.
Having been an unused substitute in Oviedo’s opening-day defeat to Villarreal, Ejaria’s introduction against Real Madrid marked a symbolic step in his long road back.
Boost for Nigeria
Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ejaria has long been at the centre of a tug-of-war between England and Nigeria at international level.
The tricky playmaker trained with Nigeria’s U-17s in 2013 but later represented England’s youth teams, including at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where the Young Lions were crowned champions.
Nigeria’s former coach Gernot Rohr pushed for his switch as far back as 2019, though the move never materialised. Now, with Ejaria finally back in full fitness and playing top-flight football in Spain, the conversation could resurface.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle currently relies on Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Christantus Uche in attacking midfield. Ejaria’s creativity and composure on the ball could provide a new dimension to Nigeria’s options ahead of key international fixtures.
Nigeria face Rwanda and South Africa next month in crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.