The Nigerian forward has played just five minutes in the league this season, and Leverkusen’s sporting director wants no repeat.
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Rolfes draws a line
Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has issued a clear warning to Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface after he left the bench during Saturday’s 4-3 Bundesliga win over Mainz. Boniface did not feature in the match, and he went straight down the tunnel after the final substitutions. FootballInNigeria.com.ng reports that he was overlooked for a third time in the last substitution window.
Coach Carles Martínez brought on Equi Fernández and Jonas Hofmann in the 84th minute. Realising he would play no part, Boniface bypassed the bench and headed into the tunnel.
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What Rolfes and Martínez said
Rolfes first offered a lighthearted quip about the striker needing the restroom, but he then drew a firm line. “It won’t happen next time,” he said.
Martínez said he did not notice the incident during the game and knew nothing about it. If it happened, he said, the club will speak to the player.
He added that he understands every player wants to help the team, but decisions like that are part of football. Rolfes acknowledged Boniface’s improving fitness and professional conduct in training.
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A testing season at the BayArena
Boniface is 25 and has made just one league appearance this season. That was a five minute cameo on the opening day against SV Elversberg, where he set up a goal.
Since then he has been repeatedly left on the bench or out of the squad. Playing time has been heavily restricted, which makes the walkout a sign of frustration.
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What it means for Nigeria
Boniface’s limited minutes will matter to Eric Chelle as he picks forwards for Tanzania in November. Rolfes left the door open for him to turn his season around.
Can he do that as fixtures pile up? That will depend on how Leverkusen handle this episode.
📌 Did You Know?
- Boniface scored a stoppage time winner in a 4-3 win over Wolfsburg in September 2024.
- In March 2025, Rolfes criticised Boniface for pushing team mate Emiliano Buendía after a game at Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Before a hamstring injury in November 2024, Boniface had scored eight goals in 15 games that season.
- Leverkusen host Lech Poznań in the Europa League on October 15, according to the site fixture list.
- They host Freiburg in the Bundesliga on October 18.
