Club Brugge Manager Addresses Onyedika Frustration, Mignolet Injury Concerns
BRUGES, BELGIUM – Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen addressed a visible display of frustration from midfielder Raphael Onyedika and injury concerns surrounding goalkeeper Simon Mignolet following their victory over AS Monaco. The incidents occurred late in the match, prompting questions about team dynamics and the impact of Club Brugge’s rotation policy.
Onyedika, substituted in the 81st minute, reportedly reacted wiht displeasure, pointedly refusing to shake the hand of his replacement, Lynt Audoor, and removing his boots on the sideline. Hayen downplayed the situation, stating, “it was not even an incident. Rapha had already indicated during the rest that he was bothered. I think his frustration ofen had to do with the passes that were intercepted too easily, so we gave away some chances.” He emphasized the importance of squad depth, adding, “But we are very brief. I am happy that Joël and Raphael have stayed. And there is also enough playing time for Jorn. We are going to look for solutions to keep giving everyone minutes. We will still need everyone.”
The manager also provided an update on Mignolet, who appeared to sustain an injury while kicking. “Simon felt something when kicking out. It can be the groin or the hamstring. That is of course unfortunate after he saved that penalty.” Hayen confirmed the rotation policy was implemented, in part, to mitigate injury risk. ”Whether we introduced the rotation for this? Gosh,of course you don’t know in advance. We tried to prevent injuries. And yes, this plan was discussed with everyone, as the chairman said in the press today.”
Despite the concerns, hayen expressed satisfaction with the overall performance against Monaco, noting, “I already saw a push message that we won from a weak Monaco. I think we simply kept [monaco] limited and attacked the spaces in their backs. The only downside today is perhaps that the score should have risen higher.”
