'We can't be afraid' - Fit-again Onyedika confident ahead of Barcelona clash

Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has urged his Club Brugge teammates to face Barcelona with confidence ahead of Wednesday's Uefa Champions League clash.

The 24-year-old is in contention to make the matchday squad after making his comeback from injury in  Club Brugge's victory over Benjamin Fredrick's FCV Dender EH.

It was a welcome boost for the Belgian outfit as Onyedika had been sidelined with a hamstring injury that kept him out for seven consecutive games and forced him to miss Nigeria's World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.

Despite the daunting prospect of facing the Spanish giants, Club Brugge can take encouragement from their recent record against La Liga opposition, losing just one of their last seven encounters and remaining unbeaten in the most recent four.

Reflecting on his return from injury, Onyedika expressed delight at being back on the pitch and shared optimism ahead of the midweek test.

"Of course, I'm happy to be back after my painful injury,” Onyedika said at a press conference after the victory over Dender. 

"It was only a short half-hour that I was back on the pitch, but I immediately felt like I could hold my own again. 

"I worked very hard with the medical staff to get back as soon as possible, and today I was able to make my comeback.

"Of course, it's not easy to sit on the sidelines and watch your teammates play, but I had no other choice. 

"I'm certainly not 100 percent fit yet, but it won't matter much. I’m missing some match practice now, but that short half-hour has given me confidence that I’ll be ready for the match against Barcelona next Wednesday."

Onyedika acknowledged the challenge posed by the Spanish giants but maintained that fear has no place in his team's mindset.

"And yes, it's clear to me that it won't be an easy task again next Wednesday, but nevertheless, everyone here is looking forward to it, that's a fact. We know what's coming, but we can't be afraid."

Onyedika featured in Club Brugge's Champions League opener against Monaco but was unavailable for selection in the subsequent away fixtures against Atalanta and Bayern Munich.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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