Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika believes his side can overcome Barcelona when both sides clash later this week, SportPremi reports.
The Belgian side host the Spanish champions in a fascinating match-day four clash in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
Nigerian midfielder Onyedika had missed his side’s last six outings, including their last two in the UEFA Champions League, but returned to action last weekend, playing 27 minutes in their 2-1 win over FCV Dender.
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The 24-year-old played every game of the Blue-Black qualification matches for the league phase and will be be expected to play a major role in Wednesday’s encounter.
Onyedika optimistic about Club Brugge’s chances
Onyedika has developed into an integral member of Club Brugge’s team since his arrival in 2022 and missed only one match in their run to the round of 16 in the 2024-25 campaign.
Speaking ahead of the clash against Barcelona, the Super Eagles midfielder acknowledged the tough task, but expressed optimism about his side’s chances.
“Of course I’m glad I’m back after my painful injury. It was only a little over half an hour that I was back on the ground, but I immediately felt that I could stand my ground again”, the midfielder said.
“I worked very hard together with the medical staff to be able to return as early as possible and so today I was able to make my return. Of course, it’s not easy to sit on the side and watch your fellow players play, but of course it couldn’t be otherwise.
Onyedika could feature in the match from the start and could also come in as a substitute as the club will be trying to ease him back into action following an injury lay-off.
“I’m certainly not one hundred percent fit yet, but it won’t matter much anyway. Of course I’m missing some match rhythm now, but that little half hour makes me confident that I’m ready for next Wednesday’s game against Barcelona”, Onyedika added.
“And yes, that it will not be an easy task again next Wednesday seems clear to me, but despite this, of course everyone with us is looking forward to it, that is a fact. We know what’s coming our way, but we shouldn’t be scared.”
What to expect between Club Brugge and Barcelona?
Club Brugge welcome Barcelona to the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday night, in match-day four of the UCL league phase.
The home side are currently 20th on the 36-team standings with three points from their first three matches.
The Blue-Black recorded a comprehensive 4-1 win over AS Monaco in their opening game, but have since gone down to Atalanta and Bayern Munich.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have won two of their three games and will be riding high on confidence following the 6-1 thrashing of Olympiacos in their last European game.
The Spanish side have also won both of the last two meetings between both sides, but the absence of several key players makes Wednesday’s clash a must-watch.
