Boniface doubtful for Leverkusen’s UCL clash today

Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface is a major doubt for Bayer Leverkusen’s UEFA Champions League clash with Stade Brest on Wednesday (today) following his involvement in a car accident on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Leverkusen’s managing director for sport, Simon Rolfes, revealed the striker’s availability remains uncertain after the crash, which occurred hours after he scored in their 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving him with minor scratches despite the car he was in being totally wrecked.

“I had a brief conversation with him yesterday (Monday), but I haven’t seen him today,” Rolfes told Bild on Tuesday.

“He’s doing well, but it’s clear that such a situation is not easy and that you have to try to bear it for a while. Of course, we are all very happy that he came out of this situation basically unscathed.”

The 23-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes that collided with a truck on the A3 highway between Bad Camberg and Idstein while heading to Frankfurt Airport.

According to German police, the driver lost control due to fatigue, causing the vehicle to skid from the middle lane into the truck and overturn.

Boniface escaped with minor cuts to his hand and was treated at a hospital before returning safely to Cologne.

The striker later shared photos and videos of his smashed car on social media, writing “God is the greatest” and “God says my time hasn’t come” in now-deleted posts.

Despite showing up at Leverkusen’s facility on Monday and assuring fans that everything was fine, Boniface missed the training session, casting doubt over his participation in today’s crucial Champions League fixture.

“Whether he travels with the team or not is still up in the air at the moment,” Rolfes added.

If Boniface is ruled out, Czech forward Patrick Schick could replace him in the starting lineup as the Bundesliga champions seek to maintain their impressive form this season.

The Nigerian international has been in super form for Leverkusen this season, scoring seven goals and providing an assist across all competitions, making his potential absence a significant blow.

However, he is expected to return for Saturday’s league match against Werder Bremen if he misses today’s game.