Nigeria’s Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika’s club Brugge and Manchester City will go head-to-head at the Etihad this Wednesday night in a crucial Champions League showdown.
Both teams face the threat of shock elimination from the competition, with Brugge needing just a draw to secure their spot in the playoffs, while City must claim all three points to keep their hopes alive.
Onyedika, who has scored four goals in 80 appearances since joining Brugge in 2022, will be relied upon for his physical presence in the midfield as his team faces a tough test against a star-studded Manchester City side.
His performances have been integral to Brugge’s 20-match unbeaten run across all competitions, and his expertise will be essential as they aim to maintain their momentum against one of Europe’s top teams.
Currently in 20th place, Club Brugge are on course for a playoff spot after holding Juventus to a goalless draw. In contrast, Pep Guardiola’s City find themselves outside the top 24 after a disappointing 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, having been 2-0 up at one point.
Ahead of the game, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the challenge, noting that despite Brugge’s strong form, every team has weaknesses.
“I expect a tough opponent. When a team is 21 games unbeaten, it’s because they are good. There are no secrets about that… they have different variations in their build-up. We have to read what we need to do. But every team has weaknesses. You have to find them and punish them,” he said.
Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen also spoke with confidence ahead of the match. “Manchester City is a team that is very clinical in front of goal because they have a lot of quality. But as a team, we know what we need to do for 90 minutes. Every team has had chances against Manchester City, and we’ll have to make the most of ours. In our Champions League campaign, we’ve already shown we can play with a plan, and we’ll do that again today. As a team, we’ll bring duels and intensity.”
Manchester City will enter the match brimming with confidence after a commanding 3-1 victory over Chelsea at home, their seventh consecutive game scoring at least twice. Meanwhile, Brugge’s hard-fought 0-0 draw with Juventus was preceded by a less impressive 1-1 draw with KV Kortrijk in the Jupiler Pro League on Saturday.
Historically, City have dominated Brugge, defeating them 5-1 and 4-1 during the 2021-22 Champions League group stage. Fans are eagerly anticipating another mouth-watering contest on Wednesday night.