Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika is set to start for Club Brugge against Atalanta in Wednesday’s (today) UEFA Champions League playoff first leg, while reigning African Footballer of The Year Ademola Lookman remains doubtful for La Dea, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Brugge coach Nicky Hayen has a fully fit squad to choose from and is expected to name Onyedika in his starting line-up after the Nigerian played a crucial role in helping the Belgian champions reach the Cup final last week.
However, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini faces an anxious wait over Lookman’s availability, with the forward still nursing a bruise sustained against Napoli on January 18.
“Lookman had a rather annoying bruise that he’s been carrying over from Naples. We’ll see in the next few days if he’ll be available for Wednesday,” Gasperini told Tutto Atalanta in the pre-match conference.
The 27-year-old aggravated the injury during training on January 28, forcing him to miss Atalanta’s recent matches. He has since resumed individual training as he works towards full recovery.
Lookman’s potential absence would be a significant blow for the Italian side, given his exceptional form this season. The former RB Leipzig forward has netted 14 goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances, including four goals in the Champions League.
The Nigeria international has further enhanced his reputation following a stunning hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen last May, which secured Atalanta’s first-ever European title.
Onyedika, who scored his first Champions League goal in a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on matchday six, helped Brugge secure their playoff spot by finishing 24th in the overall standings. His recent form has been impressive, playing the full 90 minutes in Brugge’s Cup semi-final second leg 1-1 draw at Genk last week, which secured a 3-2 aggregate victory.
The Belgian champions will host the first leg at the Jan Breydelstadion looking to end a 15-game winless run against Italian opposition dating back to 2003. However, they enter the tie in good form, having lost just once in their last 21 matches across all competitions.
Atalanta, who finished ninth in the Champions League standings, have struggled recently, winning just three of their last 11 games. However, they bounced back with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Hellas Verona at the weekend, with striker Mateo Retegui scoring four goals.
The winners of this tie will face either Lille or Aston Villa in the Round of 16, with the second leg scheduled for February 20 in Bergamo.
