UCL: Raphael Onyedika leads Club Brugge to Bergamo for crucial clash

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria star Raphael Onyedika will spearhead Club Brugge’s challenge as they travel to Bergamo for their pivotal UEFA Champions League second-leg playoff against Atalanta on Tuesday.

Club Brugge enters the match with a slim 2-1 advantage from the first leg, which saw Onyedika play a key role in the victory.

The Super Eagles midfielder completed the full 90 minutes, as Gustaf Nilsson’s dramatic 94th-minute penalty sealed a win after Mario Pasalic’s equalizer had canceled out Ferran Jutgla’s opener for Brugge.

Despite a challenging path to the knockout rounds—having scraped through the group stage after finishing 24th, ahead of Dinamo Zagreb on goal difference—Club Brugge will be buoyed by history, with the Belgian side having advanced from 14 of their last 16 European knockout ties after winning the first home leg.

Onyedika, who scored his first Champions League goal in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on matchday six, was seen arriving in Bergamo with his teammates ahead of the crucial encounter.

Brugge head coach Nicky Hayen has a fully fit squad to choose from and is expected to include Onyedika in his starting lineup.

The Nigerian was instrumental in Brugge’s resilience at the weekend, helping them recover from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw at Sint-Truiden, extending their unbeaten run to four competitive matches.

The winners of this tie will face either Lille or Aston Villa in the Round of 16, making Tuesday’s clash even more critical for both teams.