Boniface left out of Leverkusen's Europa League squad as Hofmann steps in

Bayer Leverkusen have registered Jonas Hofmann for the Europa League, leaving Victor Boniface out of the squad for the trip to OFI Crete.

Victor Boniface has been left out of Bayer Leverkusen's Europa League squad. The club have instead registered Jonas Hofmann for the match against OFI Crete, following an injury to Martin Terrier.

Sporting director Simon Rolfes explained the decision. He said it was not a demotion for Boniface but a reaction to Terrier's injury. Hofmann's versatility on the wings and in central midfield is important for different game situations, Rolfes stated. The 34-year-old will travel with the team to Greece on Wednesday and could make his Europa League debut on Thursday.

Boniface, whose contract runs until 2029, has played only five minutes under coach Carles Martínez this season. The 25-year-old striker returned from a loan spell at Werder Bremen after a knee injury sidelined him for an extended period. Rolfes stressed that Boniface has made significant physical and mental progress since a difficult spring and early summer. The Nigerian was among the first players in training on Wednesday morning before the flight to Crete.

Martínez has verbally kept the door open for the forward. The coach said he wants to push Boniface, help him and support him to improve. The current situation changes nothing regarding Boniface's status, but he must stay fit, persist and improve to get his chance. Leverkusen are in good form, sitting fourth in the Bundesliga table with 13 points from six games. Top scorer Patrik Schick has already netted six times this season. The team has scored 16 goals and conceded nine in the league and sits just one point behind leaders Bayern München.

The current run is excellent, with five wins from the last five competitive matches. These include league victories over SC Freiburg (2-1), RB Leipzig (2-0) and at FSV Mainz 05 (4-3), as well as a 4-0 away win at Lech Poznan in the Europa League. After the Europa League fixture, Bayer Leverkusen's focus returns to the league. Their next match is away to 14th-placed 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday, October 25.