Super Eagles forward, Victor Boniface, was left on the bench as his side fell to a 3-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso opted for a tactical approach that saw both of his trusted centre-forwards, Boniface and Patrik Schick, start on the bench. Instead, the Spanish tactician placed his faith in Moroccan forward Amine Adli to lead the attack in the crucial first-leg encounter.
Schick was introduced in the 81st minute as one of Die Werkself's five second-half substitutes but had little impact on the game.
Leverkusen struggled to mount a comeback as Jamal Musiala’s strike, sandwiched between two Harry Kane goals, secured a commanding 3-0 advantage for Bayern heading into the second leg.
Boniface’s playing time in question ahead of crucial second leg
Since returning from injury in late January, Boniface has struggled for consistent game time under Alonso.
The Nigerian forward has not started in Leverkusen’s last four matches, making only substitute appearances. Notably, he was an unused substitute in their goalless Bundesliga clash against Bayern Munich on 15 February.
Alonso has rotated his attacking options, preferring Nathan Tella, Patrik Schick, and Amine Adli in recent weeks. Boniface’s last start came in a 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg on 8 February, and he has played just 141 minutes across seven Bundesliga games since his return.
His most recent goal came in Leverkusen’s 3-2 DFB-Pokal quarter-final victory over Köln on 5 February.
As Leverkusen prepare to host Bayern in the second leg on 13 March, questions remain over whether Alonso will trust Boniface to lead the charge in their bid to overturn a three-goal deficit.
So far this season, the 24-year-old has made 19 appearances for Die Werkself, starting 13, scoring nine goals, and providing one assist while averaging 57 minutes per game in all competitions.
