Soccer
Victor Boniface was a surprise absentee from Bayer Leverkusen’s squad on the final day of the Bundesliga season as Xabi Alonso’s men were held to a dramatic 2-2 draw at Mainz, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Nigerian striker was ruled out just an hour before kick-off, with the club confirming that illness had sidelined him, as per Liga Insider.
It was a frustrating end to a campaign plagued by injuries for Boniface, who still managed to make an impact when fit. The 23-year-old featured in 19 league matches, starting 12, scoring eight goals and providing one assist.
His absence was particularly notable given the significance of the fixture. While Bayer Leverkusen were already assured of finishing as runners-up behind champions Bayern Munich, Mainz were desperate for points in their pursuit of a Europa Conference League spot.
Boniface missed Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-goal thriller at Mainz in Alonso’s last dance
In the absence of Boniface, Alonso handed Patrik Schick the start up front, with fellow Nigerian Nathan Tella deployed as a right wing-back. But the visitors were second-best in the first half as Mainz twice had goals ruled out by VAR before Paul Nebel finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.
Tella was withdrawn at half-time, and Leverkusen came out firing after the break. Within ten minutes of the restart, Schick struck twice – first from the penalty spot, then with a clinical finish – to put the visitors in front.
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Mainz, however, responded just after the hour mark. Jonathan Burkardt converted from the spot to make it 2-2, despite Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky nearly getting a strong hand to the effort.
The match continued at a frenetic pace, and Mainz thought they had snatched a dramatic late winner deep into stoppage time when defender Stefan Bell bundled home. But VAR intervened again, ruling out the goal for a handball in the buildup, much to Leverkusen’s relief.
For Alonso, it was a dramatic end to a memorable tenure at the BayArena. After guiding Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title last season, the Spaniard signed off with a second-place finish in 2024/25, collecting 69 points – nine ahead of third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Mainz’s draw, combined with Leipzig’s 2-3 home defeat to Stuttgart, was enough to secure European football next season – a fitting reward for a strong finish to their campaign.
Boniface’s late omission may have denied fans a final glimpse of the striker this season, but his influence was still felt across the campaign.
With Real Madrid-bound Alonso moving on, the Nigerian forward is also expected to leave Leverkusen this summer, with Newcastle United one of the club’s reportedly interested.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.
From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.
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