Bayer Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky has praised Victor Boniface for his strong response following a turbulent week with a failed move to Al Nassr, Soccernet.ng reports.
The former Union Saint-Gilloise forward was at the centre of a big-money move from the Bay Arena to link up with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. This failed when the Riyadh-based club preferred Jhon Duran over him.
Despite this, Boniface marked his return to action with an impressive goal in Leverkusen’s 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim after a three-month injury layoff.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper, Hradecky, who has seen the forward navigate this difficult period, acknowledged the mental strength required to bounce back from such a situation.
“I have to praise Boniface after the turbulent week,” Hradecky said. “In my view, it’s legitimate that when an offer like that comes along, you have to think about what you’re going to do. It’s impressive how he came back now, the goal helped.”
Boniface opened the scoring in the 15th minute, capitalising on Alejandro Grimaldo’s pass to find the back of the net. Despite being reduced to 10 men later in the match, Boniface’s early contribution played a crucial role in Leverkusen’s victory.
The 23-year-old had endured a challenging period, including rumours surrounding his personal life and the uncertainty of a potential transfer to Al Nassr. However, his professional attitude was evident in Leverkusen maintaining their momentum in the Bundesliga.
Boniface’s return with a bang against Hoffenheim is expected to boost his confidence ahead of Leverkusen’s DFB-Pokal quarter-final clash against FC Koln.