Belgian side faces midfielder crisis with Super Eagles star away and Ludovit Reis injured ahead of Genk clash.

Raphael Onyedika

Leko Highlights Onyedika Void Ahead of Genk Test.

Club Brugge head coach Ivan Leko has openly admitted that his squad is feeling the absence of Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika, who is currently on international duty with Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The 23-year-old Nigerian has been a cornerstone of Brugge’s midfield this season, and his departure for the continental tournament has left a noticeable gap.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s crucial Belgian Pro League encounter against Genk, Leko expressed concern over the lack of a suitable replacement.

“We’re missing a very important player. And because Ludovit Reis is still out, we don’t have a similar profile to replace him,” Leko said.

Despite the setback, the Croatian manager remained confident in his squad’s depth: “So we’ll have to come up with something, but we have enough quality to find a solution. You can be sure that the eleven players will know how to defend and attack together on Sunday.”

Club Brugge will hope to navigate this challenging period successfully while cheering on Onyedika as Nigeria begin their AFCON campaign in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.