FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v VfL Wolfsburg - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - September 22, 2024 Bayer Leverkusen's Victor Boniface celebrates scoring their fourth goal REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen/File Photo
(Reuters) - Bayer Leverkusen will be without striker Victor Boniface for Wednesday's Champions League game at Brest, with the Nigeria international still processing the shock of a car crash he was involved in on Sunday, coach Xabi Alonso said on Tuesday.
Boniface was a passenger in a car involved in a crash a day after he had scored the winner in the German champions' 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
He sustained minor injuries to a hand and foot but Alonso said the player needed some time to recover from the shock of the crash.
"He is not in the squad. After what happened, it's also a precautionary measure," Alonso told a press conference.
"He's missing for health reasons. He has a small wound on his hand, a small cut on his right foot. But the shock is bigger.
"Physically he is better but it is also an emotional issue. He feels good but he is not ready for tomorrow," Alonso said.
Boniface has scored seven goals across all competitions, including one in the Champions League.
Alonso said he did not expect Boniface to be sidelined for too long.
Brest and Leverkusen have both won their opening two matches in the league phase of the competition.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Clare Fallon)
