Former Werder Bremen striker Aílton Gonçalves da Silva has offered a blunt assessment of why Victor Boniface has struggled during his loan spell at the German club, Soccernet.ng reports.
Boniface arrived in Bremen with strong expectations, but his season has quickly unravelled. The Nigerian forward has failed to score in 11 Bundesliga appearances, managing only two assists. A serious knee injury, suffered in December 2025, forced him into surgery the following month and ruled him out for a long period.
Even before that setback, concerns had already emerged about his physical condition. Bremen’s sporting director Clemens Fritz admitted the club had to monitor the striker’s weight and place him on a special training and nutrition plan.
Now back from rehabilitation with parent club Bayer Leverkusen, Boniface is racing against time to make an impact as Bremen battle relegation with just a handful of matches left.
Fritz remains cautious but hopeful. “It’s up to him and us to get him up to the right level. Then we’ll see if he can still help us towards the end of the season,” he said, stressing that fitness remains the key issue.
Despite the struggles, Bremen insist Boniface’s talent is not in doubt. But the bigger concern is whether he can rediscover sharpness quickly enough to influence games at such a critical stage of the campaign.
Victor Boniface: Aílton gives up as Thioune keeps faith
While the club continues to offer guarded optimism, ex-Brazilian striker Aílton has taken a far less cautious stance. The former Bundesliga top scorer believes Boniface’s problems began almost as soon as he arrived.
“When Werder signed Victor Boniface, I had high expectations of him because of his quality. But then problems arose, such as his knee issues and poor physical condition,” Aílton said as per Weser-Kurier.
He also pointed to the wider struggles of the team at the time. “At that time, Werder wasn’t playing very well. This made it very difficult for him to show his potential.”
The Brazilian added that the long spell out after knee surgery only made matters worse, disrupting any chance of building rhythm.
“I think it will be difficult for him to help Werder with goals because there’s not much time left to get back into shape,” Aílton warned, casting doubt on the idea of a late-season turnaround.
However, head coach Daniel Thioune has offered a more optimistic view. While acknowledging Boniface’s lack of full fitness, Thioune believes the striker can still contribute in short bursts.
“Of course, you can’t deny that he might be carrying a bit too much weight. But when a cross comes in, 300 grams or three kilos don’t matter; what matters is my attitude, how I approach the ball, and my finishing,” Thioune said.
He suggested upcoming matches against direct rivals could provide the perfect stage for Boniface’s gradual return.
“Sending Victor Boniface onto the pitch in such games, where he can threaten the opponent for a few minutes, would benefit us all.”
Werder Bremen face Koln, Hamburg and VfB Stuttgart in April, knowing they need more points to distance themselves from the relegation zone.
