Club Brugge boss defends Raphael Onyedika’s red card against Fiorentina

By Saheed Afolabi

Club Brugge coach Nicky Hayen has stepped forward to defend Nigeria midfielder Raphael Onyedika following his dismissal in the European Conference League clash against Fiorentina, describing the red card as “unfortunate.”

Hayen emphasized that Onyedika was not aware of his yellow card situation prior to the challenge that led to his sending off.

Despite the setback, Hayen praised Onyedika’s intelligence as a player and highlighted the team’s collective aggressiveness in not conceding any unnecessary opportunities to their opponents.

“The player himself did not know that he already had a yellow card, and you could see from his reaction that he was surprised,” Hayen stated, as quoted by Club Brugge.

“He did not realize he already had a yellow card, and I will also defend him in that regard. He is, in that respect, more intelligent, otherwise he would not have made that tackle in that way.”

Hayen further commented on the team’s aggressive mindset, emphasizing their determination not to gift their opponents any chances on the field. He concluded by characterizing the incident as unfortunate for Club Brugge.

Currently occupying the second position in the Pro League with 42 points from 36 matches, the Belgian club is set to face Antwerp in their upcoming encounter on Sunday, May 5th.