Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface, has reacted after Bayer Leverkusen suffered a surprising 5-1 loss to Flamengo’s U-20 team in a pre-season friendly match.
The German side, now under the leadership of former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, had a poor start to their preparations for the new season. Ten Hag recently took over from Xabi Alonso, who left Leverkusen to manage Real Madrid after a successful season.
In the match played on Saturday, the young Brazilian team stunned Leverkusen by scoring within the first two minutes and adding three more goals before halftime. Although 17-year-old substitute Montreal Culbreath managed to get a consolation goal in the second half, Flamengo added a fifth to seal the heavy defeat.
Ten Hag’s starting lineup was a mix of senior players, including Boniface, Jonas Hofmann, Amine Adli, and new goalkeeper Mark Flekken, but was largely filled with youngsters. The team had an average age of just 21.5 years.
Despite the humiliating scoreline, Boniface showed calmness and focus after the match. Taking to Instagram, he posted a simple message: **“Gettin ready.”**
His short post is being seen as a sign of confidence, indicating that the team is still in early preparations and should not be judged based on a pre-season friendly.
Football analysts believe the result is no reason for alarm, as such matches are usually used to test tactics, build fitness, and give young players experience. With the Bundesliga season still weeks away, Leverkusen will have time to improve under their new coach.
