Boniface hails Alonso, Xhaka impact

By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 12, 2024

Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, has credited manager Xabi Alonso and teammate Granit Xhaka for helping him adapt quickly to life in the Bundesliga as well as for their unbeaten run for a first league title in the club’s history, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 23-year-old is currently sidelined until April, after undergoing surgery on his groin, which forced him out of Nigeria’s 2023 AFCON squad. He was in the final 25-man squad before picking up the knock at the team’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

While he remains a major miss for the Supers Eagles in Ivory Coast, Leverkusen will also miss his services as they seek their first Bundesliga title.

The Nigerian, who was signed for €20m in the summer, is their highest goal scorer this season, netting 10 times and also providing 17 assists in 16 matches. He has also won four consecutive Bundesliga Rookie Player of The Month Award, while he is also in the run for a fifth accolade.

Before his injury, he spoke on the impact of Alonso and Xhaka to his blistering start as well as their incredible run in the league this season on Obi One Podcast.

“Everybody knew him as a great player, he (Alonso) was fantastic and won everything in football. He’s really helped me a lot and tried to advise me,” Boniface said.

“He gave me the example of Didier Drogba, saying he was big and strong, and he wants the same from me. He was trying to put that type of mentality in my head because I’m the type of guy who just wants to have a good game. Even if I’m not scoring, it doesn’t matter, as long as we are winning. But he wants to try and change that mentality, for me to become a fighter. He’s a top, top coach.”

On the Switzerland midfielder, Xhaka, whom their pictures on and off the pitch have suggested a good relationship between both of them, Boniface said, “He has experience, maturity and he’s a top professional.

“We have a young squad but with Granit, it feels like we’ve been playing for a long time because he talks to us and tries to help us,” he added.

High-flying Leverkusen are unbeaten and top of the Bundesliga table with 42 points from 16 matches. They will continue their quest off the back of a winter break with an away game at Augsburg on Saturday.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 12, 2024


 

You may also like...
Resurgent Everton Go Seventh With Win Over Crystal...

Okagbare May Go To Jail Over Alleged Illegal...

Qatar 2022 Top 10 goals

Ronaldo: Critics Are Always Waiting with Their Rifles...

Non-Renewal of Rohr’s Contract: Amaju Pinnick Must Avert...

Van Gaal Aiming To Lead Dutch To World...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media