'You don't have to tackle like that' - Club Brugge captain tears into Super Eagles midfielder over red card 

Rapahel Onyedika was brutally criticized by Club Brugge captain Hans Vanaken for his dismissal during the second half of Thursday's Europa Conference League match against Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence.

The Nigeria international headed into the game in good form, scoring three goals in the Jupiler Pro League Champions playoffs in April to win the club's Player of the Month award.

But he turned from hero to zero an hour into the game against Fiorentina after he was sent off for a second bookable offense. 

Fiorentina made the one-man advantage count in the end as M'Bala Nzola scored a last-gasp goal in the first minute of stoppage time to seal a 3-2 win for the Viola.

In the 58th minute, Onyedika picked up a yellow card for elbowing Fiorentina center forward Andrea Belotti and three minutes later, the visitors were reduced to ten men as the Nigerian got his marching orders after a reckless challenge on Lucas Beltran.

In a down-to-earth interview with Club Brugge's official webpage after the game, Hans Vanaken underlined that Onyedika's red card was avoidable and suggested that the defensive midfielder was unaware he was already on a yellow card before his dismissal.

"I have mixed feelings about that late third goal for the Italians. Especially after the red card for Onyedika, you realize that it will be a matter of survival.

"And for a long time it looked like we would succeed, but then you still get that late goal in extremis and that is always sour of course."

He added: "The red card for Onyedika was avoidable, because at that place on the pitch you don't have to tackle like that. 

"By the way, I don't know if he knew he had already run into yellow."

Onyedika will not be available for selection next week for the return leg clash at Jan Breydelstadion in Brugge.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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