There was a fiery moment during Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, as striker Victor Boniface and teammate Emiliano Buendia got into a heated argument on the pitch.

The tension flared in the closing stages of the match, with Boniface visibly frustrated after a missed opportunity to score.

Frustration Boils Over

Boniface, who had come on as a substitute in the second half, was eager to get on the scoresheet.

With Leverkusen already leading 4-1, he had a golden chance to add to their tally but missed the opportunity.

As the ball was played into the box, Buendia tried to capitalize on the loose ball for a potential fifth goal but failed to properly connect with his shot.

At the same time, Boniface was also looking to score, and the two players clashed over who should have taken the shot.

Words were exchanged, with Boniface pointing his finger at Buendia before pushing him away.

The altercation only ended when teammates stepped in to calm things down.

Boniface’s Frustration Builds

This outburst came as Boniface has struggled to find consistent playing time lately.

He has not started in the last three games, and his frustration appeared to build after a proposed transfer to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia fell through during the winter transfer window.

The 78th-minute substitution, replacing Nathan Tella, was his chance to make an impact, but his goal drought continued.

Xabi Alonso’s Response to the Incident

Despite the on-pitch drama, Leverkusen’s head coach, Xabi Alonso, was quick to downplay the incident.

He explained that Boniface’s frustration stemmed from his desire to score, noting that such things can happen when players are passionate.

Alonso emphasized that the most important thing was the team’s overall performance and result, praising the squad’s dominant showing in Frankfurt.

“Boniface wanted to score a goal. It’s not a problem. We’ll talk about it,” Alonso said.

“The most important thing is the team, the performance, and the result.”

Aiming for a Strong Finish

Boniface, who has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances this season, has not found the back of the net since Leverkusen’s 3-2 victory over Cologne in the DFB-Pokal on February 5.

With the Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich coming up, Leverkusen will need all their players to stay focused and committed.

Alonso was pleased with his team’s performance in Frankfurt, calling it the perfect preparation for their Champions League clash.

“I’m very happy, very proud,” Alonso said after the match.

“From the start, we showed we were fully focused, in every action, both with and without the ball. A complete performance with a great scoreline.

The perfect preparation for Wednesday night in the Champions League.”