Victor Boniface overdoes it – Werder boss criticises on-loan star after Bundesliga hammering

Werder Bremen head coach Horst Steffen offered a pointed assessment of Victor Boniface after the forward’s first appearance at the Weserstadion ended in a 3-0 loss to SC Freiburg on Saturday.

The Nigeria striker, 24, joined Bremen on a late loan deal from Bayer Leverkusen in the final days of the summer transfer window. He was introduced just after the hour mark, with his team already trailing by two goals. His presence did little to alter the outcome, as Bremen conceded once more to seal their third defeat of the campaign.

The result left Werder in 14th place in the Bundesliga table, with 10 goals conceded in their opening fixtures. While Steffen lamented his squad’s collective frailties, he also directed frustration toward Boniface’s individual display.

“I felt he was too ‘everywhere’,” the coach told Transfermarkt. “It’s fine for him to be more central. It wasn’t the way I wanted it.”

The numbers behind Boniface’s average performance 

Boniface registered just 24 touches, misplaced four of his 14 passes, lost possession 10 times, and failed to win three ground duels. His expected goals tally was measured at 0.05.

The Super Eagles forward, who has now logged 45 minutes across two substitute appearances for Bremen, is still adjusting to the demands of his new environment. Steffen stressed patience but underlined the need for more positional discipline in the attack.

Despite the sharp tone of the coach’s remarks, Werder officials remain optimistic about the player’s role. Managing director Clemens Fritz recently described Boniface as a significant addition, noting that his arrival was part of a broader effort to bring greater stability to the club’s offensive setup this season.