Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko has voiced his frustration over the absence of influential midfielder Raphael Onyedika ahead of Sunday evening’s crunch encounter against Gent at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

Onyedika, who has been a central figure in Brugge’s midfield since his arrival from FC Midtjylland, has joined the Super Eagles camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. 

The 24-year-old has featured in 24 matches across all competitions this season, contributing two goals and one assist while providing much-needed balance in Leko’s system.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Leko admitted that Onyedika’s departure, combined with the continued injury absence of Ludovit Reis, leaves the team without a natural 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," he said.

"So we'll have to come up with something, but we have enough quality to find a solution."

Despite his concerns, the Croatian manager expressed confidence in his squad’s ability to rise to the occasion as Brugge aimed to maintain momentum in the league.

"You can be sure that the eleven players will know how to defend and attack together on Sunday," Leko concluded.

Onyedika was among the Nigerian contingent that arrived in Morocco on Thursday as the three-time African champions finalized preparations for the continental showpiece.

Nigeria will begin their Group C campaign against Tanzania on December 23, before taking on Tunisia on December 27 and wrapping up the group phase against Uganda on December 30.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will be hoping to guide the squad to a fourth AFCON title, with the team eager to restore national pride following their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Club Brugge, meanwhile, will look to navigate the coming weeks without one of their most influential midfield anchors as they continue their push for domestic success.

Adeyemi Adewale