Leverkusen Dealt Blow As Star Striker Boniface Faces Extended Injury Layoff

Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, will be sidelined for some time with a thigh muscle injury following his return from international duty with Nigeria, coach Xabi Alonso said on Friday.

The injury will prevent the 23-year-old, who has scored six goals in the league for the Bundesliga champions this season, from participating in Saturday’s league match against Heidenheim. He will also miss their Champions League clash with RB Salzburg on Tuesday.

“We will have to see how long he will be out. It is a shame,” Alonso told a press conference. “He has a thigh injury. For tomorrow, for Salzburg, and maybe a bit longer. We will have to wait and see.”

When asked whether the recovery time would be just a few days, a couple of weeks, or if he would miss the rest of the year, Alonso responded. He expressed hope that the powerful forward would return before the winter break in late December.

“It is too early to say but we hope he can still play this year. We have to see with the recovery and improvement but it is not a matter of six or eight weeks,” Alonso said.

Leverkusen, winners of the domestic double last season, have struggled in the past weeks and have managed just one win in their last six league games and have drawn their last three matches.

They currently sit in fourth place with 17 points, already nine behind the leaders, Bayern Munich. As they enter a busy four-week stretch, they have eight matches scheduled, including a German Cup clash against Bayern on December 3rd.

“Eight games in four weeks. It is nothing new for us,” Alonso said. “An intense phase is coming up for us and it starts tomorrow. We have clear goals for the Bundesliga, the Champions League, and the German Cup.”