In a recent match in Frankfurt, Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso addressed an incident involving forward Victor Boniface during their emphatic 4-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. A tense moment unfolded in stoppage time when Boniface clashed with teammate Emiliano Buendía after an on-field mix-up. This disagreement saw Boniface visibly frustrated, requiring intervention from other team members such as Jeremie Frimpong to help defuse the situation. Alonso closely monitored Boniface as he exited the pitch post-match.
After the game, Alonso spoke at the press conference, emphasizing the minor nature of the confrontation. “I spoke with Boni,” he mentioned, refraining from stirring the situation. “Boni wanted to take the shot, but things like this happen. We’re not making it bigger than it is. We’ll move on and continue our work on Monday.”
The fracas between Boniface and Buendía did not affect the match outcome because both players came on as substitutes after all the goals were already scored. Buendía recently transferred from Aston Villa during the winter window, while Boniface has faced a challenging period recently. His difficulties included a thigh injury sustained while playing for Nigeria in November and a failed transfer worth 70 million euros to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick made remarks that seemed to be aimed at Boniface amidst the transfer saga, expressing his aspirations to maintain a position in top-level football. Leverkusen was reportedly amenable to Boniface’s departure and remains a subject of interest for Newcastle in the Premier League. Since his acquisition from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023, Boniface has netted 21 goals in 37 Bundesliga appearances, although injuries and Schick’s form have limited his contributions this season to 10 goals across all competitions, compared to 21 the previous season.
Leverkusen faces a challenging schedule in the coming weeks, meeting Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich in the Champions League Round of 16. The first leg takes place in Munich on Wednesday, followed by the return fixture in Leverkusen on March 11, with an intervening league match against Werder Bremen.
