‘I want to be clear on this’ - Club Brugge coach clears the air on Onyedika's angry reaction being substituted

The Belgian side kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign in style with a 4-1 victory over Monaco on Thursday evening. 

The Nigerian international scored the second goal for Club Brugge in the 39th minute, finishing from close range after an assist from Carlos Forbs.

However, his frustration was evident when he was substituted by Lynnt Audoor in the 81st minute of the game.

Onyedika left the pitch without acknowledging his replacement, heading straight to the bench where he angrily removed his socks and tape, clearly irritated by the decision.

Club Brugge coach Nicky Hayen immediately addressed the situation, stressing the professional conduct expected from every player in the squad.

During the post-match press conference, Hayen downplayed the incident, attributing it to a misunderstanding. "Onyedika had indicated he was feeling some discomfort," the coach told HLN.

"We only had one substitution left because of Simon's injury, so we had to manage it carefully. There was a bit of miscommunication about it."

"I want to be clear on this," Hayen continued. "We're not just a team of eleven, but of 20 or 25 players."

Hayen acknowledged that while Onyedika was frustrated by some misplaced passes and missed chances, his reaction was unacceptable.