Werder Bremen fans hoping for a Victor Boniface comeback this weekend will have to wait a little longer. Despite returning to team training over a week ago, the striker has been ruled out of Sunday's crucial Bundesliga match against 1. FC Köln.

Head coach Daniel Thioune addressed the situation at a Friday press conference, revealing that the player's fitness levels are not yet where the club needs them to be. "It is obvious that we had expected Victor to return to us in a better physical condition," Thioune stated, highlighting a key hurdle in the Nigerian's recovery.

This setback means the club is taking a cautious, long-term approach. Instead of pushing him through individual drills, the decision has been made to carefully reintegrate Boniface through gradual team training sessions. For a player still seeking his first goal after 11 appearances since his loan move from Bayer Leverkusen, this delay is another frustrating chapter.

His eventual return to full match sharpness will be a welcome boost for Bremen's attacking options, but for now, the focus remains on building his physical foundation back to Bundesliga standards.