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"Never say never"—Onyedika stays hopeful after UCL loss

Posted : 05 March 2025

At Jan Breydelstadion, Nigerian midfielder Raphael Onyedika marked his return from a minor injury as he featured in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first-leg match, where Belgian champions Club Brugge were defeated 3-1 by Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.


The Nigeria international had successfully passed a fitness test before the game, having missed the previous match against KAA Gent due to a thigh injury suffered on February 23 in a league fixture against Standard Liege.


The match opened early as Aston Villa took the lead in the third minute through Leon Bailey, but Club Brugge responded swiftly when Maxim De Cuyper equalized in the 12th minute.


In the latter stages, an own goal by Brandon Mechele followed by a penalty from Marco Asensio sealed the victory for Aston Villa, giving them a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg.


Despite the loss, Onyedika expressed cautious optimism about Club Brugge’s chances of qualifying, noting that while conceding two late goals was a significant setback, the team’s fighting spirit remained intact.


Reflecting on the challenging end to the match, Onyedika remarked that the initial phases showed promise, but losing concentration at key moments cost them dearly. He stressed that in such high-level competition, every action must be at its best, and although the result makes their task tougher, hope should never be abandoned.


Looking forward, Club Brugge will host Aston Villa at Villa Park on March 12 in the second leg, aiming to overturn a two-goal deficit. Additionally, Onyedika has been named in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

 

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