'E don come back!' — Victor Boniface ANNOUNCES his return with stunning brace as Leverkusen hit seven

Bayer Leverkusen fired an early warning shot to the rest of the Bundesliga on Saturday, thrashing German amateur outfit Sportfreunde Baumberg 7-0 in their opening pre-season fixture and it was a Nigerian double act that stole the show.

There was no gentle warm-up period here. From the very first whistle, Leverkusen took total command, suffocating their lower-tier opponents and playing with the kind of ruthless edge you'd expect from a side already several steps ahead in their preparations for 2026-27.

The scoreline told the story of complete dominance. Leverkusen raced into a 3-0 lead before the half-time whistle, comfortable and in control throughout the opening 45. 

Rather than take their foot off the gas after the break, they doubled down, adding four more in the second half to turn a comfortable win into a statement one.

But the real headline belonged to one man in particular.

Victor Boniface, who was the first to report to camp for preseason, looked every bit ready for the season ahead, leading Leverkusen's line with real sharpness and menace throughout. 

The Nigerian striker capped his performance with a well-taken brace, announcing his return in the most emphatic way possible, with goals, not just minutes on the clock.

It's exactly the kind of outing Boniface will have wanted heading into a new campaign, sharp movement, clinical finishing, and a reminder to Leverkusen fans of exactly what he brings to the side when he's firing.

He wasn't the only Nigerian on the scoresheet either. Compatriot Nathan Tella got in on the act too, rounding off the rout with the seventh and final goal of the afternoon.

For Leverkusen, this was about far more than the scoreline. A dominant, confidence-building win like this is exactly the platform they'll want heading into tougher tests later in pre-season, with their next friendly assignment against Kickers Offenbach set for next weekend.

If Boniface's display is anything to go by, though, the Bundesliga side and their Nigerian contingent in particular, look ready to hit the ground running.