Werder Bremen will be without striker Victor Boniface for their Bundesliga home game against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.

The 24-year-old forward, currently on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, suffered a knee contusion.

Coach Horst Steffen provided an update on Friday, stating: "It was a knee-to-knee incident in a challenge. And that really hurt," as quoted by Bremen t-online.

The club has not yet specified how long Boniface will be sidelined.

In addition to Boniface, Werder Bremen will also be missing long-term injured players Mitchell Weiser, Felix Agu, and Maximilian Wöber.

These absences are expected to create tactical challenges for Steffen ahead of the match.

Boniface, who joined Werder Bremen on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has yet to register a goal this season, struggling with form and fitness.

The Nigerian forward was recently named in Eric Chelle’s 54-man provisional roster for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations but was not included in the final 28-man squad announced on Thursday for the tournament.

Sunday’s fixture represents an important Bundesliga encounter, with the team seeking to cope with a series of absences while maintaining competitiveness in the league.

With Boniface sidelined and other key players unavailable, Werder Bremen will look to adapt their lineup and tactics under Steffen’s guidance as they aim to secure a positive result at home.

Wale Adejumo