'It won't be for 6-8 weeks' - Leverkusen coach confirms Boniface suffered a small injury on Super Eagles duty

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Victor Boniface sustained a minor injury during Nigeria's 2-1 loss to Rwanda in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Monday, November 18.

Boniface featured for 89 minutes before being replaced by Umar Sadiq. 

Despite his efforts, the forward struggled to make an impact, extending his goal drought for the Super Eagles in official matches.

Since his national team debut in 2023, Boniface has appeared in eleven games without finding the back of the net. 

Xabi Alonso, speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference ahead of his side's Bundesliga match against Heidenheim, confirmed that Boniface sustained a minor injury while on international duty with the Super Eagles.

However, the former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder was cautious about providing a recovery timeline.

"He has a small injury in his thigh muscles," Alonso was quoted as saying by Allgemeine Zeitung.

"But it won't be for six to eight weeks. We hope that he can play again this year. We now have to wait and see how he recovers."

The injury rules Boniface out of Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga clash against FC Heidenheim at the BayArena on Saturday, as well as their crucial UEFA Champions League fixture against Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday.

Boniface’s absence will be a significant blow to Leverkusen’s campaign, as the team is battling to retain their Bundesliga title while pushing for a spot in the UEFA Champions League quarter finals.

The Nigerian forward has been a key player for Die Werkself, contributing eight goals and providing one assist in fifteen games across all competitions.

Adeyemi Adewale

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