Ahead of Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League match against Brest, coach Xabi Alonso has placed his confidence in Francis Onyeka, who is eligible to play for Nigeria to replace Victor Boniface.
Victor Boniface’s accident over the weekend, as reported by Sports Buddy, has ruled him out, and Onyeka has been called on to fill in.
Fans were reassured by Alonso that Boniface’s exclusion was precautionary and that he hoped the Spaniard would be back for their Bundesliga clash with Werder Bremen.
Onyeka’s journey to first team
The talented German Nigerian forward joined Bayer’s youth system back in 2014 when he was just seven.
Last season, he got his foot in the door, playing in matchday squads against FC Augsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach and coming on as a sub in the DFB Pokal Cup.
Alonso has put his trust in Onyeka, who has performed consistently but is yet to be given the time to develop.
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A Promising Debut Opportunity
With Onyeka poised for his first team debut, Alonso has been impressed with his progress and added, ‘We have great hopes for him, but obviously we need to be patient.’ the Spaniard said via the club’s official website.
“We want him to feel and experience what it means to play in the Champions League. Boni is not here, so we need someone else.”
The upcoming Champions League encounter presents an invaluable learning experience for Onyeka, one that could further propel his rise within the Leverkusen ranks.
