Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is nearing his return to action, two months after suffering a hamstring injury, manager Xabi Alonso said ahead of Tuesday's Bundesliga home clash against Mainz 05.
The 24-year-old Boniface sustained the thigh muscle injury in November after returning from international duty with Nigeria. Before the setback, he had scored eight goals from 15 games in all competitions for Leverkusen this season.
Last term, he netted 14 goals in 23 league appearances to finish as their top scorer and played a pivotal role in securing Leverkusen's first Bundesliga title.
Defender Jeanuel Belocian remains sidelined after his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear last month while forward Amine Adli is still recovering from a fracture and will not feature in the Mainz clash.
"Adli won't be able to rejoin the team until the end of January at the earliest but Boniface could return next week. He still needs plenty of time to train," Alonso told reporters on Monday.
Talisman Florian Wirtz, who was left out of the starting line-up and played around 25 minutes in Leverkusen's 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund last week due to an internal issue, will start against Mainz, Alonso confirmed.
A run of six straight wins has lifted Leverkusen to second in the league standings with 35 points, four behind leaders Bayern Munich. Their form will be tested as Alonso's side face a busy stretch ahead with five matches in 15 days.
Leverkusen resume their Champions League campaign on January 21 away at Atletico Madrid, and Alonso said his side are eagerly looking forward to it.
"Sometimes it's even good not to have much time and just keep playing," Alonso added. "If we don’t give 100 per cent on the pitch tomorrow against Mainz, we’ll face problems (ahead)."
Fifth-place Mainz are also in good form, coming off a streak of three wins, including a 2-1 victory over Bayern in mid-December that handed the Bavarians their first league defeat.
"They’re currently in very strong shape. They play boldly with the ball and with great energy. They have an excellent sense of when to press high and when to sit deeper," Alonso said.
After Mainz, Leverkusen are set to host Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday.