No bad blood - Bench boy Boniface sends message to outgoing Alonso

Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface has expressed his gratitude to his departing Bayer Leverkusen manager, Xabi Alonso.

The former Liverpool midfielder, took the helm at the Bay Arena in 2022, stepping in for Gerardo Seoane during a particularly difficult period for the club.

Since then, he has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, culminating in a historic unbeaten run in the Bundesliga last season.

Having been instrumental in bringing Victor Boniface to Leverkusen from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer of 2023, Alonso recently announced his decision to step down from his role at the end of the current campaign.

This announcement has fueled speculation linking him to a high-profile move to Real Madrid.

In response to the news, Boniface took to his social media platforms to share a collection of images and videos capturing moments shared with his manager.

Accompanying these memories was a concise yet heartfelt message, “Thanks for everything, coach.”

Boniface has thrived under Alonso's tutelage, becoming a key figure in Leverkusen's sensational season.

Since his recovery from a long injury that kept him out of AFCON 2023, and a failed Saudi move, Boniface has failed to reclaim his place in the first 11.

He was also on the bench for their weekend game against Dortmund despite them being 1-4 down, Alonso didn't bring him on.