Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen director backs Victor Boniface to regain form and shine next season
By Saheed Afolabi
Bayer Leverkusen managing director, Simon Rolfes, has expressed confidence that Victor Boniface will return to his best form ahead of the upcoming season.
Boniface had a stellar start to last season, notching 16 goals and nine assists, and earning the Bundesliga Player and Rookie of the Month awards.
However, an injury setback kept him sidelined, ruling him out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and impacting his performance upon his return.
Rolfes acknowledged the challenges Boniface faced in regaining his peak form after his injury but is optimistic about the Nigerian striker’s prospects for the new season.
“After such an injury, it is not so easy (for Boniface) to regain that explosiveness in order to be able to fully enter into duels – physically, but also mentally,” Rolfes told Kicker.
“It always takes a little time, also to regain confidence in yourself and your body. He’ll be in a completely different state at the start of the season.”
Boniface’s resilience and determination were evident as he made a significant contribution to Leverkusen’s historic campaign, which saw them clinch the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal Cup without a single defeat.
Despite the disappointment of losing the Europa League final to Atalanta, Boniface’s performance and potential have continued to garner praise and anticipation.
Rolfes is confident that the Super Eagles forward will make a substantial impact when the new season kicks off.
“He’ll be in a completely different state at the start of the season,” Rolfes emphasized, highlighting the player’s journey to recovery and readiness to take the world by storm once again.
With the new season approaching, all eyes will be on Victor Boniface as he aims to replicate and surpass his previous successes, solidifying his place as one of football’s rising stars.