Nigeria, Jan. 27 -- Victor Boniface's season has been halted, but not his ambition. The Super Eagles striker has returned to Bayer Leverkusen to begin a carefully managed rehabilitation programme following successful knee surgery, a process expected to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.

The 25-year-old Nigerian forward, who has been on loan at Werder Bremen, underwent the procedure on 10 January to address persistent issues in his right knee, a problem rooted in a long and painful history that has threatened to derail an otherwise upward career trajectory.

Boniface's knee troubles are not new. The current setback traces back to two cruciate ligament tears suffered in 2019, injuries that have lingered ...