Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach, Xabi Alonso, has confirmed that Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface, will be sidelined for “a few games” after picking up a leg injury during international duty.
Boniface suffered a muscle fibre tear in his thigh during Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Rwanda on Monday.
The 23-year-old has not trained with his Bayer Leverkusen teammates since returning back to Germany.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Alonso revealed that Boniface sustained a minor thigh muscle injury.
“He’s got a small injury in his thigh muscle, it’s a shame,” Alonso said ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga home fixture against Heidenheim. While reports in the Nigerian media suggested that Boniface could miss the rest of 2024, Alonso remained optimistic about the striker’s return. “He won’t be there tomorrow or against Salzburg (in the Champions League). We hope he will play again this year. We have to wait and see, but it’s not going to be six or eight weeks.”
With Boniface out, forward Patrik Schick, who has made only two league starts this season, is expected to play a more prominent role. “He is always ready—we don’t just need him now, but always,” Alonso said.
Bayer Leverkusen, the defending Bundesliga champions, have experienced a challenging season after going unbeaten in Germany last year, securing both the league and cup double. They currently sit fourth in the league table, trailing Bayern Munich by nine points. Alonso’s team has already dropped 13 points this season—one more than the total points they lost during the entire previous campaign.
Boniface has been a standout performer for Leverkusen this season, leading the club’s scoring charts in the Bundesliga with six goals and an assist in 10 matches. His absence will be a significant blow as Leverkusen aim to close the gap on the league leaders.
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