Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman and midfielder Raphael Onyedika face crucial battles to keep their clubs in contention for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages as the competition resumes this week.
Lookman’s Atalanta sit 13th in the league phase standings with seven points from four games as at the time of this report, while Onyedika’s Club Brugge are 22nd on four points, leaving both sides needing positive results to secure playoff places.
Atalanta’s campaign has been inconsistent, with their seven points coming from victories over Marseille (1-0) and a crucial away win, but they also suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday one. The Italian side has kept three clean sheets in the competition, though, trailing only Inter Milan, Arsenal and
PSG in that regard since the start of last season.
Wednesday’s clash against Frankfurt presents a critical opportunity for La Dea to climb into the top eight automatic qualification spots. The German side are just inside the top 24 with four points after drawing 1-1 with Napoli in their last outing, having previously suffered consecutive 5-1 defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
For Brugge, the situation is more desperate. With just four points from four games, Onyedika and the 19-time Belgian champions are in danger of slipping out of the playoff positions entirely. Their only victory came on the opening day against Monaco, and they have since drawn with Barcelona (3-3) and lost to Atalanta and Bayern Munich.
Atalanta, who beat Marseille 1-0 in their last Champions League outing before the international break, host Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday under new coach Raffaele Palladino.
The Italian side has struggled domestically, winning just two of 13 Serie A matches this season, which led to the dismissal of former coach Ivan Juric earlier this month, who oversaw 12 of those games.
Lookman, who had a reported fallout with Juric during the Marseille victory, has also endured a difficult campaign with just one goal in 11 appearances across all competitions.
However, Palladino has backed the Nigerian forward, describing him as crucial to his plans.
“I have a huge belief in Ademola. He’s a strong player who can make the difference,” Palladino said as quoted by Tuttoatalanta.
“I called him personally while he was on the national team, as I did with all the others, because it’s important for me to speak to each individual player and understand how they feel. He’s a player I’m banking on.”
Transfer speculation continues to surround Lookman, with Galatasaray reportedly interested in a €50m move in January. His Super Eagles teammate Victor Osimhen is actively urging him to join the Turkish champions.
Meanwhile, Onyedika faces an equally challenging task as Brugge travel to face Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday.
The Belgian side has failed to win any of their last three Champions League matches since beating Monaco 4-1 on the opening day. Onyedika, who has one goal in two Champions League games this season, produced a disciplined display in Brugge’s 3-3 draw with Barcelona before the international break.
The 24-year-old midfielder has attracted renewed transfer interest ahead of the January window, with Galatasaray, Premier League clubs and Serie A sides monitoring his situation. Brugge want at least €20m for the player, whose contract runs until June 2027.
