AFCON: ‘Leverkusen will cope without Boniface, Tella’

Xabi Alonso, the manager of Bayer Leverkusen, has expressed confidence in the team’s ability to maintain their impressive form during the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), despite the potential absence of key players, including the Nigerian duo Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella.

Under Alonso’s leadership, Leverkusen has transformed from a team struggling near the relegation zone to the top of the Bundesliga, with an exceptional record of 20 wins and three draws in 23 games across all competitions this season.informationguidenigeria

The 2023 AFCON, scheduled from January 13th to February 11th, poses a challenge for Leverkusen as several vital players might be called up for national duty. Apart from Boniface and Tella, other Leverkusen players likely to participate in the tournament include Burkina Faso’s Edmond Tapsoba, Ivory Coast’s Amine Adli, and Morocco’s Odilon Kossounou.

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These absences could impact Leverkusen during crucial Bundesliga matches against Leipzig and Bayern Munich, as well as a Cup tie against Stuttgart. However, Alonso remains optimistic and refuses to use this as an excuse for any potential dip in performance. He believes in the depth and quality of his squad, emphasizing that other players in the team are capable of stepping up to fill any gaps left by those participating in the AFCON.

“That’s the game calendar,” the former Real Madrid star said, per Kicker.

“We are losing some players (for the AFCON), but we have seen that all players can play. We will decide so that we have a competitive team.”JAMB Portal

This fact was made clear after a second-string Bayer Leverkusen side forced a 5-1 defeat down the throat of Norwegian club Molde in their final Europa League group clash on Thursday.NYSC Portal

And after his men’s impressive victory, Alonso insists he has no reason to shed tears for a situation he knew could surface from the start of the season saying, “I’m not crying. I’m not a victim. We have enough players.”

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