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Bayer Leverkusen could be without no fewer than five key players including Nigeria's Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella when AFCON kicks off next year.
Bayer Leverkusen boss, Fernando Carro, has reacted to the possibility of losing key players Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella to the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Fernando is contemplating legal action to stop the Nigerian duo and three other Africans at Leverkusen from the tournament slated to place in January next year.
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05:23 - 28.11.2023
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17:26 - 12.11.2023
Nathan Tella outshines Boniface to mark Super Eagles call-up with stunning first goal for Bayer Leverkusen
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Boniface and Tella’s AFCON chance
The Leverkusen forwards are in line to make their debuts at Africa’s premium competition when it kicks off in early January in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will compete after they booked their ticket earlier this year, with Boniface playing a part after he made his debut against Sao Tome and Principe in September.
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The 22-year-old came off the bench to assist one of the goals as Nigeria thrashed their visitors 6-0 in the final game of the qualifiers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
His clubmate, Tella, would follow weeks later after he switched allegiance from England to Nigeria at international level.
Tella, 24, made his Nigeria debut during the ill-fated 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in the last international break.
Bayer Leverkusen boss reacts
However, despite both players getting rewarded for their brilliant start to life at Leverkusen, their club boss is not a happy man.
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Fernando is not a fan of the timing of the AFCON and could stop both players and others in Die Werkself from attending the coveted competition.
According to a Sport1 report, the furious Leverkusen boss, influential member of the European Club Association (ECA), says it cannot be that AFCON will take place in the middle of the season.
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"It can't be that the Africa Cup of Nations is played in the middle of the season," the 59-year-old stated "To change that, I will go into a dispute with FIFA."
"We are also having it checked whether there is a legal chance of not having to leave the players," he added."It's not realistic. And I don't want to deny anyone this step."
Apart from the Nigeria Super Eagles duo, Leverkusen could also be without the trio of Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba, and Amine Adli for the competition which will last from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
Nigeria’s Victor Boniface is Leverkusen’s contributor-in-chief with 12 goals in 11 matches in the Bundesliga this season. ‘
The former Union Saint-Gilloise star has played a pivotal role in the club’s rise to the top of the Bundesliga standing.
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