FC Midtjylland of Denmark fast-rising midfielder, Frank Onyeka has to miss the burial of his father back home in Nigeria on Tuesday due to his involvement with UEFA Champions League action with his club, megasportsarena.com reports.
The burial of Pa Onyeka had to go ahead without the 22-year-old lad, who has started all five matches played so far by his club this season in Europe, including four in the UCL’s qualifying and play-off rounds.
Even as the newly capped Super Eagles’ rookie braced to overcome effects of his loss, Danish football expert, Klaus Egelund highlighted the youngster as a key player in the Midtjylland squad that Liverpool should pay special attention to in Tuesday night’s clash at Anfield.
The Ekstra Bladet journalist was contacted by Liverpool’s media team to provide the lowdown on the Midtjylland team and has pinpointed central midfield, where Onyeka operates, as their strongest department.
Egelund revealed the attributes that make the one-cap Nigeria international flourish in his midfield role, adding: “I would without hesitation mention the Nigerian, Frank Onyeka, in central midfield. Very quick, physical and strong – he rarely catches the eye but the way the team dips in performance without him speaks volumes”.
Onyeka admitted he will enter Anfield on the same day as the funeral of his father, who died last month at the age of 55; and he told Ekstra Bladet: “It was always my father who supported my dream of playing football. My mother accepted it over time, but he was always there and he would have been so proud to experience this.
“He had a heart attack a couple of years ago, but he had recovered from it. Then during the year he had problems oxygenating the blood well enough, and in the end it became so bad that he did not survive it.”
