Leverkusen’s optimism revives as Boniface returns from Bremen loan

Victor Boniface, the 25‑year‑old Nigerian striker, returned to Bayer Leverkusen for the first pre‑season friendly of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign, scoring a brace in a 0‑6 away victory over Sportfreunde Bamberg and declaring, “I feel great!” after a disastrous loan at Werder Bremen.

The forward’s market value has fallen sharply, dropping from an estimated €40 million to €5 million over the past 15 months. The decline followed a disastrous loan spell at Werder Bremen, where he struggled with fitness and posted cryptic messages on social media.

Leverkusen’s managing director Simon Rolfes said after the match that Boniface was able to make a few moves and even dribble again. He added that the club is very satisfied with the striker’s physical condition, although some steps remain, and the next objective is fitness.

Head coach Carles Martinez emphasized the importance of Boni training with the group to improve physically. He noted that Boniface trained with the squad all week and played 35 minutes, stressing that both player and club share the same fitness objective.

Victor Boniface expressed his happiness, stating, “I’m doing well, I’m glad to be training again, playing again and doing what I love.” He added, “I feel pretty good; scoring again after a long time feels great, and I’m happy with everything.”

Rolfes concluded that there will be one or two more weeks of very intense training, during which Boniface may not perform at his best. The club expects the striker to regain full sharpness as the pre‑season progresses.

The striker is set to report to training on Monday with renewed energy. Leverkusen will monitor his workload closely to ensure a sustainable return.