Werder Bremen’s head coach, Daniel Thioune, has made it clear that Victor Boniface cannot rely on his reputation to secure a place in the starting eleven. The Nigerian striker, who joined the Bundesliga club on loan in the summer, has had a stop-start campaign due to recurring injuries, the latest being a knee problem that kept him sidelined.
Boniface has now recovered and returned to full training last week, but he was not included in the matchday squad for the 1-1 draw against VfB Stuttgart. With important fixtures ahead, including the upcoming clash against FC Augsburg, Thioune has stressed that every player must prove their worth on the training ground.
“It was crucial for Victor to come back. He trained well last week,” Thioune said. “But with Marco Friedl and Marco Grüll also returning, I now have a difficult task to select the squad, and some players will miss out.”
The coach acknowledged that Boniface’s physical style could be useful against a tough Augsburg side, but emphasized that other forwards in the squad possess similar attributes. “We have Salim Musah, who has done a fantastic job, and Jovan Milosevic has comparable qualities. No one has a guaranteed place,” Thioune added.
Thioune’s comments underline the intense competition in Werder Bremen’s forward line. Boniface will need to impress in the final training session to earn a spot in the squad for the Augsburg match. The team is fighting to secure their Bundesliga status, and the coach wants every player to understand that performances must be consistent.