• Nigerian striker Victor Boniface has returned to Werder Bremen’s matchday squad after a lengthy injury absence
• Boniface was named on the bench in Bremen’s 1–1 draw against Stuttgart on Sunday
• Although Boniface did not feature in the match but was included for the first time since knee surgery

Nigerian striker Victor Boniface has returned to Werder Bremen’s matchday squad after spending months on the sidelines with a knee injury, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 26-year-old was named among the substitutes in Bremen’s 1–1 Bundesliga draw against Stuttgart on Sunday, April 26, marking his first squad appearance since undergoing knee surgery.

Although Boniface did not get on the pitch, his return to the bench is a major boost for Bremen as they continue their fight to avoid relegation.

With crucial fixtures against Augsburg, Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund still to come, Boniface could yet make his long-awaited return before the season ends.

Werder Bremen sit 12th on the Bundesliga table with 32 points and need at least one more win from their final three matches to guarantee safety in the top flight.

Boniface has not featured competitively for Bremen since making a brief substitute appearance in their 3–2 loss to Hamburg on December 7, 2025. He played just 11 minutes in that match before the knee injury that eventually led to surgery ruled him out for months.

The injury was initially feared to have ended his season, forcing the Nigerian forward to return to parent club Bayer Leverkusen for treatment and rehabilitation. He later rejoined Bremen in late March and resumed full training as he stepped up his recovery.

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said Boniface’s loan switch to Bremen last summer was designed to help the striker rebuild rhythm and fitness after an injury-hit spell.

However, the Nigerian striker has continued to struggle with recurring fitness setbacks during the campaign.

Rolfes insisted Boniface’s ability has never been in question, stressing that his injury issues have been more about the physical demands of top-level football and the strain of a packed schedule.

“In his first season he was unbelievable, and his second season was also good,” Rolfes said.

“But in his second season he had injury problems, and last summer we agreed he needed more training to get back into peak condition.”

Before suffering the injury, Boniface made 11 appearances for Bremen during his season-long loan spell and contributed two assists.

The striker found regular starts difficult to come by in the early months of his time at the club, but his progress was halted further when the knee injury cut short his momentum.

Now back in the squad, Boniface will hope to play a role in helping Bremen secure their Bundesliga status before the season wraps up.

Osimhen played AFCON 2025 with hamstring injury, says Super Eagles Coach

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle had revealed that Nigeria’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, played the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco while nursing a hamstring injury.

Despite the physical setback, Osimhen delivered standout performances for the Nigerian team, scoring four goals and providing two assists across six matches. His contributions earned him a place in the Confederation of African Football’s Team of the Tournament, recognising him as one of the competition’s top performers.