Super Eagles stars Ademola Lookman and Raphael Onyedika will face off against each other once again in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off when Atletico Madrid travel to play Club Brugge on Wednesday.
The two Nigerians met at this stage of the competition last season, when Lookman was still on the books of Atalanta and Onyedika lined up for Club Brugge.
On that occasion, it was the Belgian side who had the upper hand, claiming a 5-2 aggregate victory to book their place in the round of 16. Their European adventure eventually came to an end in the quarterfinals against Aston Villa.
Lookman missed the first leg of that tie through injury and only featured in the return fixture. He made an immediate impact by finding the back of the net to give Atalanta a glimmer of hope. However, his night turned sour when he missed a penalty, an incident that sparked a public disagreement with then-Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
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Onyedika, meanwhile, featured prominently in both legs of the contest. The midfielder delivered disciplined and energetic performances across the two matches, playing a key role as Club Brugge progressed to the next round.
The two sides met again earlier this season, with Lookman’s first start of the campaign coming against Club Brugge. This time, Atalanta emerged 2-1 comeback winners, while Onyedika was absent for that encounter.
Now at Atletico Madrid, Lookman will be aiming to get one over his international teammate. The winger has made a bright start to life in Spain, registering four goal contributions in four appearances
Interestingly, all four of Lookman’s contributions have come in the Copa del Rey, underlining his strong impact in cup competitions. In La Liga, however, he is yet to record a goal or assist in two outings.
The first leg of the play-off encounter is scheduled for Wednesday at Club Brugge’s Jan Breydelstadion, before the decisive return fixture takes place on 24 February at Atletico’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
With both players eager to leave their mark, another compelling duel between two of Nigeria’s finest talents awaits on the Champions League stage.
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