Leverkusen drop points as Boniface fires blank in goalless draw against Wolfsburg

Bayer Leverkusen and Victor Boniface were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Wolfsburg on Saturday, dropping valuable points ahead of next week’s crucial Bundesliga title showdown with Bayern Munich.

Manager Xabi Alonso opted for heavy rotation, benching key players like Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick while giving Boniface a starting role. However, the tactical gamble failed to pay off, as Leverkusen struggled to break down a resolute Wolfsburg defense at the Volkswagen Arena.

Boniface, who was rewarded with a start after netting the winner in Wednesday’s DFB Pokal quarter-final triumph over FC Koln, had a second-half effort blocked but couldn’t extend his recent scoring streak.

Wolfsburg briefly thought they had taken the lead when Konstantinos Koulierakis headed home in the first half, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. The game remained scrappy, with frequent stoppages disrupting the rhythm of play.

The result marks Leverkusen’s seventh Bundesliga draw of the season, leaving them eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich, whom they face next week in a high-stakes clash that could shape the title race.

Alonso made eight changes from the midweek cup victory, with Edmond Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, and the suspended Alex Grimaldo also joining Wirtz and Schick on the bench.

Speaking before the game, Alonso hinted at the possibility of pairing Boniface and Schick in future matches, given their strong scoring form.

“That’s a possibility in the future,” Alonso told the Bundesliga website. “The important thing is having quality players. Then we can decide whether we play with one, two, or even three forwards.”

Boniface has now scored twice in three matches since returning from a thigh injury that sidelined him for 14 games, while Schick has found the net three times in the same period, including a double against Koln.

Despite the stalemate, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten run against Wolfsburg to seven Bundesliga matches. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg will take confidence from a hard-earned point as they continue their push for European qualification.