Xabi Alonso Announces When Victor Boniface Will Return To Football

The Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, Victor Boniface, is expected to return to full fitness in April, according to his manager at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso.

Victor Boniface has been battling with an adductor injury for the last three months and had to undergo surgery to treat the injury.

The 23-year-old striker last played for Bayer Leverkusen on December 20, 2023, against VFL Bochum. He scored his last goal during the 4-0 win.

Due to his fitness issues, Victor Boniface withdrew from the Super Eagles of Nigeria 2023 AFCON squad and had to watch from the stands as the team lost 2-1 in the final of the tournament to the hosts, Ivory Coast, on February 11, 2024.

Despite his absence in Bayer Leverkusen’s setup, the German Bundesliga table toppers have remained top of the league table. They are currently the only club in the top five European leagues that are yet to suffer a defeat so far this season.

But Victor Boniface’s return in April is expected to be a huge boost for Bayer Leverkusen, which is aiming to win its first German Bundesliga title. The team is in the Europa League knockout stage and also in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.

Ahead of Bayern’s Europa League round of 16 second leg tie against Qarabag FK in Germany, Xabi Alonso described Boniface’s potential return to the pitch as a “very good” development.

“His (Boniface) development is very good; the recovery is going in the right direction. That’s very positive,” Alonso said, according to German publication, Bild.

“We expect Boniface soon, I don’t know, but it won’t be until May, maybe April, and that’s very good for us, having Boniface back. Boni works very well, with great professionalism, twice a day. We need players who have the desire to be back.”