Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has noted that Club Brugge missed Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika during their UEFA Champions League clash on Tuesday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Atletico Madrid claimed a commanding 4-1 victory over the Belgian giants in the second leg of their Round of 16 playoff.
While the two sides played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in Bruges during the first leg, Simeone’s men proved too clinical in the return fixture, finishing the job in front of their home fans.
However, the final scoreline arguably felt a bit harsh on the Blauw-Zwart. Club Brugge gave a good account of themselves for large portions of the match but were ultimately outclassed in the second half at the Metropolitano.
Speaking after the final whistle, Simeone had words of praise for the visitors and specifically highlighted the impact of Onyedika's absence.
Raphael Onyedika Was Missing – Diego Simeone
Raphael Onyedika was a central figure in the first leg, where his presence allowed Brugge to go toe-to-toe with the Spanish giants.
Beyond his physical dominance in the middle of the park, Onyedika contributed a goal and an assist in that 3-3 draw. Unfortunately, he was ruled out of the trip to Madrid due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko attempted to restructure his midfield to compensate for the loss of the Nigerian international, but the tactical shift ultimately failed to contain Atleti’s late-game surges.
”I like the team [Club Brugge]; they're young, with very good midfielders,” Simeone noted per post-match reports. “Onyedika was missing.”
The defeat means Club Brugge exits the competition with a 7-4 aggregate loss, ending their continental journey for the season.
Onyedika is expected to return to the starting lineup this weekend when Brugge shifts their focus back to domestic action against Charleroi in the Jupiler Pro League.
