Onyedika Eyes Barcelona Test with Renewed Confidence
Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika is back on the pitch and urging his Club Brugge teammates to be bold as they prepare to face Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League this Wednesday.
The 24-year-old recently returned to action after a significant hamstring injury, making his comeback in Club Brugge's victory over FCV Dender EH. This was a crucial boost for the Belgian side, as Onyedika had missed seven straight games, including Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
Speaking about his return, Onyedika shared his relief and optimism. “Of course, I'm happy to be back after my painful injury,” he stated. “It was only a short half-hour that I was back on the pitch, but I immediately felt like I could hold my own again... I'm certainly not 100 percent fit yet, but it won't matter much. I’m missing some match practice now, but that short half-hour has given me confidence that I’ll be ready for the match against Barcelona next Wednesday.”
Despite the massive challenge of taking on the Spanish giants, Club Brugge has a reason to be confident, having lost only one of their last seven encounters against La Liga opposition, and remaining unbeaten in the most recent four.
Onyedika acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming match but stressed that the team must not be intimidated.
And yes, it's clear to me that it won't be an easy task again next Wednesday, but nevertheless, everyone here is looking forward to it, that's a fact. We know what's coming, but we can't be afraid.
The Nigerian had featured in Brugge's Champions League opener against Monaco but missed the subsequent matches against Atalanta and Bayern Munich while recovering. His return provides a timely lift as the club looks to make an impact against the Catalans.
Enobong Ernest
Dailysports's expert
