The biggest match in the Bundesliga this weekend will pit the less-fancied Nigerian forward against the accomplished Englishman
Victor Boniface will face the toughest challenge of his German adventure so far when Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen lock horns at Allianz Arena on Friday night.
The clash is the most anticipated fixture of matchday four, as both teams have won each of their first three games to share the top spot on the league table.
Bayer Leverkusen’s perfect run has been inspired by the brilliance of their Nigerian import, Boniface.
The former Union Saint-Gilloise forward only joined Die Werksef in August, but he has taken to German football like an Eagle to the wild.
Boniface scored on his club debut in Leverkusen’s 0-8 win at Teutonia Ottensen in the DFB Pokal. He claimed an assist on his Bundesliga debut in his side’s 3-2 win over RB Leipzig.
The 22-year-old was the architect of Borussia Monchengladbach’s destruction on matchday two as he bagged a brace to power Xabi Alonso’s men to a convincing 0-3 away win.
Boniface did not let up against Darmstadt, netting twice and adding an assist in a man-of-the-match display as Leverkusen romped to a 5-1 win.
Five goals and two assists in his first four games in Germany should be more than the youngster could have asked for.
Still, it got even better for Boniface at the weekend as he made his Super Eagles debut and claimed an assist as Nigeria walloped Sao Tome and Principe 6-0 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
While it has been a dream start, Boniface could be jarred back to reality on Friday as Leverkusen head to Munich.
Perennial champions Bayern have carved out their own winning streak, beating Werder Bremen, Augsburg, and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bayern spent over one hundred million to get Harry Kane to arrive from Tottenham Hotspur, and the England striker has hit the ground running.
The marquee signing needs no introduction to German defenders, and his three goals and an assist in his first three games are enough warning to whoever cares that he means business.
Kane, however, finds himself being compared with a player he would have heard little of until this year – Boniface.
With the two of them being new arrivals in Germany, it is the Nigerian youngster who has been taking all the praises and shine from neutrals.
The best of those verdicts came from FC Cologne manager Steffen Baumgart, who made it clear that why many prefer Bonifsce to Kane is that the Nigerian represents the future.
“Will Kane improve the Bundesliga decisively? We’re already at a high level. A year ago, Sadio Mane also said that everything would get better. Now he’s gone again,” Baumgart said.
“(Boniface, though) is 22 years old, has a good body – you know that his development is far from over and that there’s a lot more to come from him.”
With many watching, Kane must not only lead Bayern to victory against Bayer Leverkusen, but he also has to give more and do better than Boniface.
The odds are in Kane’s favour, though. He has played more high-pressure games than Boniface. His Bayern are the favourites for the win. The champions also have the edge over Leverkusen, with the Black and Reds winning only six of their 37 most recent clashes with Bayern in the Bundesliga.
Boniface, however, has shown that the occasion does not easily faze him.
The Akure-born attacker was the top scorer in the Europa League last term when no one gave him a chance. He has already picked up the Rookie of the Month award in only his first few weeks in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
When he is the underdog, Boniface has always, often, shone brightly.
Should he guide Bayer Leverkusen to their first win at Bayern Munich since 2019, Boniface would take a significant lead in the race for the best newcomer in the Bundesliga.
