Xabi Alonso has downplayed Victor Boniface’s visible frustration during Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, emphasising that the team’s performance and result remain the main focus.

Boniface was involved in a heated exchange with teammate Emiliano Buendía in stoppage time after both players clashed while attempting to convert a late scoring opportunity.

Leverkusen had a clear chance to add a fifth goal when a well-delivered cross into the box caught Frankfurt’s defense off guard. Buendía reacted first, but his initial effort lacked proper connection. As he attempted a second shot, Boniface also lunged for the ball, leading to a miscommunication that saw the opportunity wasted.

Frustrated by the missed chance, Buendía lashed out, prompting a quick response from Boniface. The situation escalated as both players exchanged words before teammates stepped in to defuse the tension.

Despite the intensity of the moment, Alonso dismissed concerns about the incident, insisting it was nothing unusual in football.

“I spoke with Boni,” Alonso said in his post-game press conference. “I don’t have all the details, but Boni wanted to shoot. It can happen. We don’t want to make something big out of something so small. We’re staying calm. On Monday, we’ll keep going again.”

The former Real Madrid star further explained that Boniface’s reaction was natural for a forward eager to score, especially given his limited opportunities in the match.

“He wanted to score a goal. It’s not a problem. We’ll talk about it. The most important thing is the team, the performance, and the result,” he said.

Both Boniface and Buendía had come off the bench in the Bundesliga clash, with the Nigerian striker replacing his compatriot Nathan Tella in the 77th minute.

While Boniface had little time to make a major impact, his hunger to find the back of the net was evident. However, he was unable to end his current goal drought, which dates back to February 5, when he last scored in Leverkusen’s 3-2 victory over Köln in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals.

Despite his recent struggles, Boniface remains a key figure for Leverkusen, having netted 10 goals and provided one assist in 20 appearances across all competitions this season.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/alonso-clears-air-over-victor-bonifaces-clash-with-teammate/