Bayer Leverkusen's Boniface walks out after match omission

Nigerian striker Boniface walked down the tunnel in frustration after being omitted from Bayer Leverkusen's 4-3 Bundesliga victory over Mainz on Saturday. Coach Carles Martínez made his final substitutions in the 84th minute, bringing on Equi Fernández and Jonas Hofmann, leaving Boniface without a chance to play.

Following the match, it was reported that Boniface chose to head to the dressing room instead of remaining on the bench with his teammates. This incident has raised concerns regarding Boniface's situation at Leverkusen, where he has had minimal playing time this season, with only one Bundesliga appearance for five minutes during the opening-day loss to SV Elversberg, where he provided an assist for Christian Kofane.

He has since been overlooked in matches against Union Berlin, Leipzig, and Mainz, and did not play against Augsburg. Martínez stated he was unaware of the walkout during the game but promised to discuss it with Boniface, emphasizing that selection decisions are part of football.

Simon Rolfes, Bayer Leverkusen's chief, also issued a warning regarding the incident.