Champions League top 50 tacklers: Super Eagles midfielder outshines PSG, Liverpool, Bayern stars

Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has cemented his reputation as one of the top ball-winners in the UEFA Champions League this season, ranking among the competition’s 50 best tacklers, Soccernet.ng reports.

A report by Euro Football Rumours lists Onyedika in 20th place among the most successful tacklers of the 2024-25 campaign, having registered 23 completed tackles before Club Brugge’s exit from the tournament at the hands of Aston Villa.

The Nigerian midfielder shares his ranking with Dimitri Lavalée (Sturm Graz), Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP), Timi Elsnik (FK Crvena Zvezda), and Vanderson (Monaco).

His tally, however, puts him ahead of several high-profile names, including Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch (22 tackles), Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga (21), Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala (21), PSG captain Marquinhos (21), and Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente (20).

At the top of the tackling leaderboard sits PSG’s João Neves, who has completed a staggering 40 successful tackles. Benfica duo Florentino and Tomás Araújo follow closely with 38 tackles each, while Barcelona’s Marc Casadó and PSG’s Nuno Mendes round out the top five with 33 tackles apiece.

Onyedika with a lovely finish to put Nigeria ahead in Abidjan.

Benin 0-1 Nigeria pic.twitter.com/fKl0tJiQma

— Ojora Babatunde (@ojbsports) June 10, 2024

Super Eagles star Onyedika: Club Brugge’s key man

Onyedika’s combative midfield displays were crucial in Club Brugge’s historic Champions League run. The Belgian giants advanced from the group stage, with the Nigerian featuring prominently throughout their campaign.

The 23-year-old midfielder made 11 appearances in the tournament, accumulating 940 minutes on the pitch. He contributed a goal and an assist, with his assist coming in Brugge’s 1-0 group-stage victory over Sturm Graz, while his lone goal was scored in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Raphael Onyedika hit the corner flag celebration after scoring the opening goal in Man City vs. Club Brugge pic.twitter.com/HMv7djAE4j

— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) January 29, 2025

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Arguably, Onyedika’s most influential performances came during the intermediate playoff stage against Atalanta. He played every minute of both legs, helping Club Brugge secure an emphatic 5-2 aggregate win over the Serie A side.

However, their remarkable journey came to an end in the round of 16, where they suffered a 6-1 aggregate defeat to Aston Villa.

Beyond his European exploits, Onyedika remains a key figure for Club Brugge as they push for another Belgian league title. The defending champions are currently four points behind leaders Genk as the Championship Round begins.

With a crucial clash against Anderlecht this weekens, Onyedika and his teammates will be eager to close the gap at the top and secure a return to next season’s Champions League.

Meanwhile, Genk face a tricky test against KAA Gent as the race for the Belgian crown intensifies.