Champions Bayer Leverkusen will have striker Victor Boniface back in the squad for Saturday’s Bundesliga match at RB Leipzig, coach Xabi Alonso said on Friday.

The Nigeria forward, who has scored six league goals, has been sidelined since November with a thigh muscle injury.

“Yes. He is in the squad,” Alonso told a press conference when asked whether Boniface could start on Saturday. His team will look to bounce back after Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League loss at Atletico Madrid.

In the league, however, Leverkusen, last season’s domestic league and Cup winners, are enjoying a winning run and are in second place on 41 points, four behind leaders Bayern Munich.

They have won their last eight games in the league to remain Bayern’s main title rivals, with third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt a further five points behind on 36.

“I have always said Bundesliga is the most important competition for us,” Alonso said. “We are on a positive wave and we want to stay on it but it will be a tough game for us tomorrow playing away at Leipzig.”

Leipzig are fifth on 31 points.

The Spaniard also hinted Leverkusen could be active in the January transfer window after injuries to Jeanuel Belocian and Martin Terrier ended both players’ seasons.

“We have to be smart and take a smart decision,” Alonso said. “After two serious injuries we have to be active.

-Reuters

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Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is nearing his return to action, two months after suffering a hamstring injury, manager Xabi Alonso said ahead of Tuesday’s Bundesliga home clash against Mainz 05.

The 24-year-old Boniface sustained the thigh muscle injury in November after returning from international duty with Nigeria. Before the setback, he had scored eight goals from 15 games in all competitions for Leverkusen this season.

Last term, he netted 14 goals in 23 league appearances to finish as their top scorer and played a pivotal role in securing Leverkusen’s first Bundesliga title.

Defender Jeanuel Belocian remains sidelined after his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear last month while forward Amine Adli is still recovering from a fracture and will not feature in the Mainz clash.

“Adli won’t be able to rejoin the team until the end of January at the earliest but Boniface could return next week. He still needs plenty of time to train,” Alonso told reporters on Monday.

Talisman Florian Wirtz, who was left out of the starting line-up and played around 25 minutes in Leverkusen’s 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund last week due to an internal issue, will start against Mainz, Alonso confirmed.

A run of six straight wins has lifted Leverkusen to second in the league standings with 35 points, four behind leaders Bayern Munich. Their form will be tested as Alonso’s side face a busy stretch ahead with five matches in 15 days.

Leverkusen resume their Champions League campaign on Jan. 21 away at Atletico Madrid, and Alonso said his side are eagerly looking forward to it.

“Sometimes it’s even good not to have much time and just keep playing,” Alonso added. “If we don’t give 100% on the pitch tomorrow against Mainz, we’ll face problems (ahead).”

Fifth-place Mainz are also in good form, coming off a streak of three wins, including a 2-1 victory over Bayern in mid-December that handed the Bavarians their first league defeat.

“They’re currently in very strong shape. They play boldly with the ball and with great energy. They have an excellent sense of when to press high and when to sit deeper,” Alonso said.

After Mainz, Leverkusen are set to host Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

-Reuters

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Super Eagles star Victor Boniface is close to signing a contract extension at Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

According to a new development, per Transfer News Live, Bayer Leverkusen are edging closer to extending Boniface’s contract.

Boniface has been impressive for Bayer Leverkusen since his €21.7 million transfer from Royale Union SG last year.

Last season, the Super Eagles striker registered 21 goals and 10 assists to help Bayer Leverkusen reach the Europa League final and claim their first-ever Bundesliga title. He could even have scored more goals, but for the thigh injury he sustained at the turn of the year.

Following his impressive campaign with Die Werkself, Boniface was linked with a big move to a top club. However, he opted to remain at Leverkusen.

This season, the 23-year-old striker has produced seven goals and one assist in 13 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen.

Boniface’s current contract is supposed to expire at the end of the 2027/28 season, and there have been talks that Bayer Leverkusen is making moves to extend it.

Although the Super Eagles star is injured, the deal is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The move shows the high premium the German Champions place on Boniface.