Nigerian Nwakali accuses Huesca of bullying over AFCON call-up

Nigerian midfielder Kelechi Nwakali said his contract with Spanish second division side Huesca was terminated because he refused to bow to pressure not to play at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and for refusing a deadline day transfer.

Nwakali said he would "no longer suffer in silence" as he explained how the biggest honour of his life in being called up by Nigeria was quickly soured when Huesca's sporting director Ruben Garcia said he should not travel.

"Ruben Garcia put extreme pressure on me not to go to AFCON due to it 'not being an important tournament'. He told me that if I go to AFCON I will not play for Huesca again," Nwakali said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This behaviour and the lack of respect shown to my country Nigeria was truly heartbreaking and it was just the latest example of the club attempting to bully me into getting their own way."

Huesca announced on Tuesday they had terminated the 23-year-old's contract but did not say why. Huesca told Reuters they "completely deny and disagree with the players accusations", adding they will make a statement shortly and would defend themselves in court if required.

Nwakali added the club had been pressurising him to sign a new contract by paying him late and a breakdown in negotiations came when his mother fell ill and he asked Garcia for wages the club owed him so he could pay for her treatment.

"Ruben Garcia responded to my request by saying 'Sign this new contract and we will pay you what's owed tonight'," he said.

Nwakali said he could not return to the club immediately after Nigeria's last-16 exit on Jan. 23 due to a respiratory tract infection.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

"On the last day of the transfer market (Jan. 31)... Ruben Garcia rang me to tell me I had to