Tag: Boniface

Nigerian forward, Victor Boniface will be hoping to fire his side, Bayer Leverkusen to victory when they host Roma at the Bay Arena on Thursday for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final clash. The match will be broadcast live on GOtv.

Xabi Alonso’s men triumphed  2-0  away at the Stadio Olimpico despite conceding possession for a large spell of the match. Goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich gave the Germans victory over the Italians, thereby extending their run without loss in the Europa League to 13 matches (W8 D4).

Leverkusen equalled Benfica’s 59-year-old 48-game unbeaten streak last weekend when it defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Bundesliga. The German champions will be keen to break the record against Roma. Tune in GO La Liga (ch 62) at 7:55pm on Thursday to watch the match live.

On the other hand, Roma are keen to overturn the deficit as they look to make their third consecutive European finals. The allure of stopping Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak may serve as additional motivation for Danielle De Rossi’s men.

Real Also: Boniface shortlisted for Bundesliga team of the season

Similarly, Atalanta will be banking on the home crowd to stir them to a first European final when Marseille comes visiting. The home side failed to defend an early lead at Stade de Marseille last week as the match ended 1-1. Tune in GO Football (ch 61) at 7:55pm to watch the return leg.

Marseille’s coach, Jean-Louis Gasset will be worried about his side’s away record in Europe having won only one of their six games on foreign soil in the competition this season, losing at Villarreal in the last 16 and Benfica in the quarter-finals. He will be banking on tournament top scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to fire the team to another European final.

In the Conference League, the last English team in Europe, Aston Villa face an arduous task of overturning a 2-4 first leg defeat at home when they visit the Karaiskakis Stadium to take on Olympiacos. Tune to GO Premier League (ch 66) at 7:55pm to watch the match live.

• Nigerian ace  makes Team of the Season

Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface was yet  among the goals yesterday as his Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen extended their season-long unbeaten run to 48 games with a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.

While coach  Xabi Alonso forced to watch from the stands due to a yellow card suspension, Leverkusen turned on the style, winning with goals from Granit Xhaka, Patrik Schick, Jeremie Frimpong and penalties from Exequiel Palacios and Victor Boniface.

Xhaka opened the scoring with a long-range effort, before Frankfurt equalised through Hugo Ekitike, who scored for the third game in succession.

Schick headed Leverkusen back in front just before half-time and World Cup winner Palacios scored a third from the penalty spot on the 58-minute mark.

The floodgates opened in the final stages, with Frimpong scoring just five minutes after coming on and then won a penalty with three minutes remaining.

Boniface converted the spot kick for Leverkusen’s first win in Frankfurt for six years.

Leverkusen, who are unbeaten in 48 across all competitions, need to avoid defeat in two remaining league matches to become the first team to go unbeaten through a Bundesliga season.

Read Also: James, Dahyop clinch Coal City Marathon titles

“That’s our challenge,” Alonso said after the match. “A big challenge. Just two games to go and if we make that, it will be almost perfect. We’ll try it.”

Meanwhile,  Boniface has been named in the Bundesliga Team of the 2023/24 season.

The Nigerian  forward  was a surprise inclusion in the Team of the Season having missed around three months of action due to an abductor injury he sustained the injury in January and only returned to action at the end of March.

The 23-year-old was named in a three-man attack that also includes Harry Kane and Serhou Guirassy.

Boniface has so far registered  now 12 goals in 2 1Bundesliga games this season.

Five of his teammates;  Frimpong, Jonathan Tah, Alejandro Grimaldo, Xhaka and Florian Wirtz also made selection. Boniface linked up with Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian Pro League outfit, Union St Gilloise last summer.

Victor Boniface has been rewarded by the fans for a splendid first season in the Bundesliga with selection into the prestigious Bundesliga Team of the Season.

The Super Eagles striker has shone for Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen wining machine, gathering 20 goal contributions despite being injured for almost four months.

Boniface has been named by the fans alongside six other Leverkusen players on account of their heroics this season.

Read Also: VICTOR BONIFACE: I like making people laugh

Leading the attack in the Team of the Season is England skipper Harry Kane, flanked by Victor Boniface and Serhou Guirassy on the left and right respectively.

For the midfield trio, Leverkusen have two representatives in Granit Xhaka and elite play-maker Florian Wirtz, with Jamal Musiala completing the trio.

For the defence line, Leverkusen’s Alex Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong and defender Tah were too good to be dropped, with Stuttgart’s Anton also making the cut.

Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund is the goalkeeper.

Full Bundesliga Team of Season: Forwards: Victor Boniface, Harry Kane, Serhou Guirassy. Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala. Defenders: Alex Grimaldo, Jeremie Frimpong, Tah, Anton. Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel.

Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface has been nominated for the German Bundesliga team of the season alongside Bayern Munich hitman Harry Kane.

Bayer Leverkusen won their first-ever Bundesliga title after a 5-0 demolition of Werder Brenda at Bay Arena on Sunday. Super Eagles striker Boniface scored the first goal that opened up the barrage for Die Werkself. That strike was in his first start of the year after spending three months on the sidelines because of an adductor problem.

Boniface’s goal against Werder Bremen was his eleventh goal in 18 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. The 23-year-old also has eight assists to his name.

With his eleven strikes, Boniface sits eighth on the Bundesliga goalscorers’ chart. Aside from his goals, Boniface’s gameplay and technique has turned heads in Germany, especially as it is his first season.

Read Also: Boniface, Tella get Leverkusen’s honorary citizenship

Following his impressive campaign, Boniface has now been nominated for the striker position in the Bundesliga team of the season. The former Royale Union SG striker will battle Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane who was 32 goals, Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy (25), Lois Openda (22), Niclas Fullkrug (11), Jonas Wind (9), Ermedin Demirovic (15), Omar Marmoush (10), Deniz Undav (16), and Marvin Ducksch (9).

The winner will be decided by votes from fans before the end of the season. Although Boniface has eleven games now, he could still increase his haul before the end of the season.

The town hall of the city of Leverkusen has granted honorary citizenship to Victor Boniface, Nathan Tella and the rest of the historic Bundesliga champions.

On Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen won their first-ever Bundesliga championship after they dismantled Werder Bremen 5-0 with Victor Boniface scoring the opening goal and also making an assist.

Read Also; Mines Marshals

Victor Boniface carries a Nigerian passport, while Tella besides his green passport also has a British passport as he was born to Nigerian parents in England.

Super Eagles striker  Victor Boniface could be allowed to leave the brand new Bundesliga champions, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, in the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old, who scored the opener on Sunday as B04 crushed Werder Bremen 5-0 to clinch the Meisterschale   for the first time in their 120-year history, has been subject of intense transfer interests from Serie A clubs that include Napoli and Juventus, as well as clubs in the Premier League, most especially Arsenal.

The Nigeria international has been in rich vein of form since he joined Die Werkself  from  Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise in July 2023 and has scored an impressive 18 goals in 27 games across all competitions in the ongoing season.

Read Also:I didn’t lead Leverkusen, we led ourselves – Victor Boniface

In December, Tuttomercatoweb claimed Serie A trio of Juventus,  AC Milan and Napoli are prepared to compete for the €40m-rated Nigerian player at the conclusion of the season.

In fact, as recent as last week, major Italian news outlets, including Tuttosport newspaper, hinted  with claims that the Old Lady’s sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, was already working on the potential deal for Boniface to Juventus.

But Bayer Leverkusen ‘s sporting director Simon Rolfes has hinted that the  club will reject all approaches for the duo of Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka as the  ‘freshly-minted Bundesliga champions’ look to keep together their title-winning team.

In an interview with Spiegel published Monday, the day after Leverkusen’s title triumph, Rolfes said, “Granit is staying, Florian too.”

He continued on Wirtz and Xhaka: “is a figure people can identify with. With his grit and his willpower, he’s a very special and important player for future successes.

“If we make any big changes in summer, it would only be to bring in top people like Granit who are regular players,” he said.

Rolfes did not give a hint about possible transfer for the likes of Boniface who  has been on the wish list of many top European clubs desirous of signing a proficient striker in the summer.

Bayer Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga title and got there with five games to spare thanks to a 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen.

Bayern Munich beat Cologne on Saturday to keep Leverkusen’s title celebrations on hold for at least a day.

But there were scenes of jubilation for Xabi Alonso’s team when the final whistle blew at BayArena on Sunday.

Read Also; How governors usurp Ifa’s role in choice of traditional rulers

Victor Boniface’s 25th-minute penalty set Leverkusen on their way before Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz scored stunning goals in quick succession.

Supporters stormed on to the pitch in mid-match when star man Wirtz added a fourth in the 82nd minute, and again when he completed a hat-trick soon afterwards.

Leverkusen’s landmark achievement ends an era of dominance for Bayern, who had won the past 11 Bundesliga titles.

Unbeaten in all competitions this season, Leverkusen remain on course for a remarkable treble in Alonso’s first full season in charge, with the German Cup and Europa League still in their sights.

BBC SPORTS

AC Milan have reportedly  identified Bayer Leverkusen and Nigeria national team striker Victor Boniface as the number one alternative to Joshua Zirkzee.

The Rossoneri will surely sign a new centre forward for 2024-25, given that Olivier Giroud is set to join LAFC at the end of his contract in June.

Multiple sources in Italy claimed  that Bologna star Zirkzee is Milan’s primary target for next season. However, the Dutch striker’s price tag will likely be over €50m, so according to Corriere dello Sport, the Rossoneri are also looking at different targets.

A recent report from Gazzetta suggested Bologna could be looking for a €75m sale for Zirkzee, the same sum paid by Manchester United to sign Rasmus Hojlund a year ago.

Read Also: Fireworks with NLC throws LP into turmoil

Therefore, page nine of Tuesday’s printed edition of Corriere dello Sport newspaper claims Nigeria international Boniface is Milan’s secondary target if they fail to get Zirkzee.

The Bayer Leverkusen star is a long-time Milan target, given that the Serie A giants already tried to sign him from Union St Gilloise but failed to reach an agreement with the striker’s entourage, seeing Bayer pay over €20m to secure the striker’s signature in 2023.

According to the report, Boniface’s transfer value is around €40m-€50m.

Boniface is contributing to Bayer Leverkusen’s impressive campaign with 16 goals and nine assists in 25 appearances across all competitions. His contract with the Bundesliga leaders expires in June 2028.

Despite just returning to action  for Bayer Leverkusen  since missing out of the 202 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, Super Eagles  striker Victor Boniface is reportedly being chased by Italian giants, Juventus otherwise called the Old Lady.  

Major Italian news outlets including Tuttosport newspaper, claimed  Boniface is a transfer target for Juventus, while Tottenham and Fulham have set their sights on Samuel Iling-Junior.

Boniface has been in a rich vein of form with an impressive 32 goals in 50 appearances with Bayer Leverkusen this season with  Football Italia  also claiming  Juventus have interest in the  Nigeria international  and will also listen to offers for English winger Iling-Junior.

The Bianconeri haven’t reached an agreement with Iling-Junior’s entourage over a contract extension beyond 2025, and both Fulham and Tottenham are interested in the 20-year-old, who is valued at €15m by the Serie A giants.

Read Also; Excitement as Lagos receives solo driver from London to Lagos

Iling-Junior has made 20 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring one goal.

According to the report, one between Arek Milik and Moise Kean will also leave Turin in the summer, while Boniface could move to the Allianz Stadium only if the Bianconeri receive high offers for Dusan Vlahovic and decide to sell the Serbia international. Juventus are also interested in Joshua Zirkzee, but the Dutch striker could play alongside Vlahovic in the Bianconeri’s attack replacing Federico Chiesa.

In a related development, AC Milan are also reportedly interested  in signing  Boniface in the Summer.

With both Olivier Giroud and Luka Jovic on expiring contracts and the likelihood of the  former joining  Los Angeles FC in the MLS, respected journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has hinted  that Milan  are almost certain to sign a new centre-forward who can lead the line for years to come.

He has been widely quoted as saying that some impressive strikers including Joshua Zirkzee who is also attracting interest from rivals Juventus,  RB Leipzig’s Benjam Sesko, Lille’s Jonathan David and Bayer Leverkusen’s Boniface are on the Rossoneri’s board of potential profiles to invest in.