December 05, (THEWILL) – Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has suggested potentially pairing striker Patrik Schick with Victor Boniface in attack. Schick, a Czech Republic international, has seen limited game time this season after injury troubles over the past year.
In his return on Thursday, Schick came off the bench to score in Leverkusen’s UEFA Europa League win over Hacken. He later provided an assist for Boniface’s equaliser against Borussia Dortmund. Alonso deploys a 3-4-3 formation centrally with Boniface upfront but is considering tweaks to accommodate the now fit-again Schick.
Schick is yet to start a match this campaign with all four appearances as a substitute. “He had a good impact today,” Alonso said of Schick after the Dortmund draw. On pairing Schick and Boniface, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder added: “Certainly a possibility.”
Leverkusen Sporting Director, Simon Rolfes, agreed the two strikers could play together. “They are a little different in creating scoring chances, but both are technically excellent,” he stated. Summer signing Boniface has been a sensation for Leverkusen, starting 18 of 20 matches this term.
The Bundesliga league leaders will be aiming to continue their strong form this season. Securing UEFA Champions League qualification will likely be the minimum expectation. Integrating a talent like Schick into the first team will give manager Alonso more tactical flexibility in attack.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
