Victor Boniface is back among the substitutes for Bayer Leverkusen’s Rhine derby at Cologne this afternoon, but the Nathan Tella injury means his fellow Nigerian will play no part in the Bundesliga clash.
The confirmed teams for the Bundesliga clash at the RheinEnergieStadion, which kicks off at 15:30 WAT, show Boniface on the bench, with Patrik Schick leading the line. Tella, meanwhile, is missing after a muscle problem kept him out of Leverkusen’s last two games.
It is a small step back towards relevance for Boniface, whose season has stalled badly. The 25-year-old has managed only a couple of brief substitute appearances in the Bundesliga this term, and his lack of minutes cost him a place in Eric Chelle’s 24-man Super Eagles squad for the Tanzania double-header. Like Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, who came off the bench as Lazio drew 1-1 at Napoli earlier today, he must wait for his chance from the sidelines.
Nathan Tella injury: what we know
Nathan Tella’s injury has kept the winger out of Leverkusen’s last two matches, and he was again absent from the matchday squad named for the trip to Cologne. The Nathan Tella injury first flared up before the 4-2 home defeat to Stuttgart last weekend, and he has not trained fully since.
The timing is frustrating for the 27-year-old, who had been pushing for a bigger role in an attack hit hard by injuries. Moussa Diaby, Martin Terrier and Eliesse Ben Seghir are also out, while Christian Kofane only returned to full training on Friday and was not risked.
Tella was not named in Chelle’s Super Eagles squad for Tanzania either, so the international break gives him a window to recover without missing Nigeria duty. Leverkusen will hope to have him back for Paderborn on 21 November.
Boniface’s Cologne derby chance
For Boniface, the Cologne derby is another chance to show Martinez he can still contribute. The striker was named on the bench for recent Bundesliga trips, and the confirmed line-up for Cologne keeps him in the matchday squad ahead of the international break.
The context has not changed. According to Sky Germany, Victor Boniface has told Leverkusen he wants to leave in January in search of regular football. Managing director Simon Rolfes responded on 24 October by insisting the striker must earn his way back, saying he “needs to stay fit, keep at it and improve, then his opportunity will arise.”
It is a far cry from two seasons ago, when he scored 14 Bundesliga goals in Leverkusen’s title-winning campaign. A loan spell at Werder Bremen and persistent fitness concerns have stalled his progress, and Schick’s form has left him feeding off scraps.
Leverkusen need a response at Cologne
Leverkusen arrive in Cologne needing a result, having lost three of their last four in all competitions — 3-0 at Hoffenheim, 4-2 at home to Stuttgart and 1-0 at home to Marseille in Europe — and sit sixth with 13 points from eight games.
Cologne, 14th in the table, will fancy their chances of adding to that misery. The hosts line up with Marvin Schwabe in goal and Said El Mala and Marius Bulter in attack, and they have already troubled bigger sides at home this season.
For the two Nigerians, the afternoon tells two different stories: one back in the squad and waiting for a chance, the other in the treatment room. If Boniface gets on, even a short derby cameo would be a start.
For more on the qualifiers, check today’s predictions.
Photos: Fuguito via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) — collage by SportsBuddy.
