Club Brugge’s head coach, Nicky Hayen, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the red card given to Super Eagles of Nigeria star Raphael Onyedika during their match against Sporting Charleroi.
Raphael Onyedika, who plays as a defensive midfielder, was shown a red card by the referee in the 55th minute for a tackle that Hayen deemed to be unfairly penalized.
Hayen said, “That is never a red card. Yes, he (Onyedika) goes in hard, but not with the studs on the ankle. That was not a dangerous action, and he also touched the ball.”
He went on to emphasize that the tackle did not result in a full impact on the opponent’s ankle or foot and believed that a yellow card would have been a more appropriate decision. 
Following the red card, Onyedika will be unavailable for selection in Brugge’s upcoming three league games against Union St Gilloise, Westerloo, and Anderlecht.
Raphael Onyedika has been playing for Club Brugge since August 2022. This season, the midfielder has played ten games in all competitions for the Belgian side.
The Nigeia international is expected to link up with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (AFCON) against Libya.
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