Xabi Alonso revealed Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface will spend time on the sidelines, after suffering a thigh muscle injury following his return from international duty with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The injury confirms the 23-year-old will be out for a period of time, including some key games.
The marksman, who has scored six league goals for the Bundesliga champions this season, will now miss Saturday’s league game against Heidenheim and the Champions League game RB Salzburg on Tuesday.
“We will have to see how long he will be out. It is a shame,” Alonso said in his press conference.
“He has a thigh injury. For tomorrow, for Salzburg and maybe a bit longer. We will have to wait and see.”
Quizzed on the specified period, Alonso said he hoped the powerful forward would be back before the winter break starts in late December.
“It is too early to say but we hope he can still play this year. We have to see with the recovery and improvement but it is not a matter of six or eight weeks,” Alonso added.
Leverkusen, who won the domestic double last season, have struggled in the last weeks, having recorded just one win in their last six league games and have drawn their last three matches.
They are currently in fourth place on 17 points, already nine adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, and are going into a busy four-week period with a total of eight matches, including their German Cup clash against Bayern on the 3rd of December.
“Eight games in four weeks. It is nothing new for us,” Alonso continued.
“An intense phase is coming up for us and it starts tomorrow. We have clear goals for the Bundesliga, the Champions League and the German Cup.”
