Raphael Onyedika watched on from the stands as Club Brugge were eliminated from the UEFA Europa Conference League after drawing 1-1 with Fiorentina in the second leg of their semi-final encounter. The result saw the Belgian side exit the competition with a 3-4 aggregate defeat, having suffered a 3-2 loss in the first leg in Florence.
Onyedika was unavailable for Wednesday’s important European clash after receiving a red card during the first leg. The 23-year-old was sent off after being shown two yellow cards in the space of four minutes, ruling him out of the return fixture at home.
With the midfielder unable to feature, Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayden shuffled his pack and opted for a midfield pivot of Hugo Vetlesen and Denis Odoi. Onyedika’s absence didn’t seem to matter during the early exchanges, with the Belgian taking the game to their opponents.
After playing on the front foot for nearly 20 minutes, their pressure ultimately paid off when Hans Vanaken, who scored in the first leg, struck again against Fiorentina to open the scoring after being set up by Igor Thiago.
The opener boosted Club Brugge’s momentum but despite being comfortable for large spells, they were stunned late in the game when the visitors were awarded a penalty in the 85th minute, which Lucas Beltran successfully converted to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-4 on aggregate.
Club Brugge miss suspended Onyedika in semi-final second leg against Fiorentina
The timing of Fiorentina’s equaliser left the Club Brugge fans heartbroken, especially as the Italian side scored with their only shot on target, and despite a late onslaught by the hosts, they could not find another breakthrough.
Club Brugge may have held off Fiorentina for 85 minutes but they lacked composure and compactness in the middle of the park due to Onyedika’s absence. The Nigeria international has been an important figure in the club’s domestic and European push this season.
The former Midtjylland midfielder averages 1.7 tackles per game and 6.0 for ball recoveries, as per SofaScore. Even for a defensive midfielder, he also averages 75% successful dribbles and 43% of aerial duels won.
Onyedika’s absence from the semi-final second leg against Fiorentina meant Club Brugge missed all these attributes, leaving manager Hayden to play a make-shift midfield pairing. While Hugo Vetlesen is a decent player, he doesn’t offer the same kind of protection as Onyedika; and Denis Odoi, who played alongside the Norwegian in midfield, is naturally a full-back.
Raphael Onyedika and Club Brugge target league glory after European exit
Since joining Club Brugge in August 2022, Onyedika has been one of the club’s most consistent players in the last two years. However, it is in the ongoing 2023/24 season that he has really established himself as one of the best midfielders outside Europe’s top five leagues.
The Nigeria international’s performances in the Belgian league and in Europe have led to rumours over a move in the summer, but he won’t come cheap, as he still has three years left on his existing contract.
In the immediate, however, both club and player will now be turning their attention to the league, where they are in a strong position to be crowned champions. Club Brugge currently sit at the top of the table and are three points above rivals Anderlecht, while Union SG are a further point behind.
Onyedika and Club Brugge may have missed out on reaching the final of the Europa Conference League but their next two games are as equally important and could decide where they finish on the league table. Hayden’s side will face Union SG on Monday before taking on Anderlecht the following Sunday, and winning both games would see them all but seal their 19th league title.
