Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface, who missed the last Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast due to injury, is set to return for Bayer Leverkusen's DFB Pokal semi-final clash against Fortuna Dusseldorf on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Nigerian underwent surgery on an adductor muscle injury in January after picking it up during the Super Eagles training camp in Dubai.
However, after a three-month absence, Coach Xabi Alonso confirmed Boniface is back in the squad and raring to go.
“We are in a fantastic situation,” Alonso said at a press conference. “We have no injuries and a full squad to choose from. Boni (Boniface) is also back with the team.”
Victor Boniface back on the beat
Alonso cautioned that while Boniface is fully recovered and ready to contribute, he might not see a full 90 minutes on the pitch.
“Maybe not 90 minutes,” he explained, “45 minutes might be a stretch too. But 30 minutes is definitely on the table. He's had a good recovery, trained well, and has a strong mentality to come back. He can't wait to get back on the field.”
Before his injury, the Nigerian forward had been a key player for Leverkusen, bagging 10 goals and chipping in with even assists in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen have also been the Bundesliga's stand-out team this season.
They currently sit comfortably at the top of the table with a commanding 13-point lead over second-placed Bayern Munich.
Last weekend, they displayed their fighting spirit by coming from behind to win 2-1 against Hoffenheim at the Bay Arena, further widening the gap at the top after Bayern's loss to Borussia Dortmund in the ‘Die Klassiker
Their dominance however, extends beyond the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen are already through to the Europa League quarter-finals and boast a remarkable 39-match unbeaten streak across all competitions this season.
Despite this impressive run, Alonso, who last week revealed he was staying with the team amidst interest from Liverpool and Bayern Munich remains grounded.
Slow but steady
“We have to take it one game at a time,” he emphasized. “That's the approach that's gotten us this far, and we won't change that now. We've achieved a lot, but haven't won anything yet. There's still a lot of work to do.”
“We've done some things very well to get here, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves,” the Spaniard continued. “Staying focused is key, and that's the message I give my players. They know it.”
With the eminent return of Boniface into the team and heading into the latter stages of the season, Leverkusen fans will be delighted to have more strength to their squad.
Their next game will be Wednesday’s DFB Pokal clash against Fortuna Dusseldorf
