The Super Eagles' injury woes deepened as two of their top strikers, Umar Sadiq and Victor Boniface, are set to miss crucial club action after picking up injuries following their recent international duties.
Umar Sadiq's out with hamstring
Umar Sadiq's woes at Real Sociedad have been well-documented since his €20 million transfer from Almeria in 2022. The 27-year-old Nigerian striker's promising start was abruptly halted by an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in just his third game. While he managed to return to action last season, his performances have fallen short of expectations.
Sadiq has struggled for consistent form and fitness, managing only one assist in eight games this season. His limited impact raised questions about the reason why his name featured the last Nigeria’s international team. However, the chance he had to depict his worth in the ranks of the Super Eagles was fleeting, and he could not impress the team. Sadiq has recently developed a hamstring injury, which, besides worsening this mediocre performance, raises questions over his capacity to play anew and shed off that promising image he had before.
Victor Boniface picks up a thigh injury
The 2023/24 Bundesliga Rookie of the Year, Victor Boniface, has a problem too. Having scored six goals and one assist in ten Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen, the 6’3” striker has been laid up with a thigh injury contracted while on duty for his national team.
It appears Boniface could be out for weeks, perhaps three months, depending on the extent of the injury sustained. Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso might avail his thoughts on Boniface’s state before their match-up against FC Heidenheim. The likes of Patrik Schick will deputize for Boniface in Leverkusen’s upcoming league game which is a major loss in attack for the side.
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Outstanding fitness concerns include a history of injury trouble – he was affected by an adductor problem that took him out of the 2023 season part way through. The club will be hoping this latest setback is not the same as other problems they have encountered in the past.
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