Borussia Dortmund’s new coach, Niko Kovac, believes the team has the quality to turn their season around after a strong run under interim coach Mike Tullberg.
New Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac is confident his team can recover from a tough season after their recent improvement under interim coach Mike Tullberg.
Kovac took over on Sunday, replacing Nuri Sahin, who was sacked on January 22 after four straight losses. In the three games under Tullberg, Dortmund earned a Bundesliga draw and win, plus a Champions League victory against Shakhtar Donetsk, stopping their losing streak.
Signs of Improvement Under Tullberg
“What has been positive is the last three games. You could see that the team has the necessary quality. For me, the team is really good,” Kovac said in his first press conference.
“There is a lot that has to do with self-confidence. Yes, there was a phase recently where things did not go well, but the last three games were great. Mike really did it well and we all thank him for that.”
Dortmund, last season’s Champions League finalists, are struggling in 11th place in the Bundesliga and risk missing out on European qualification.
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Kovac Wants to Restore Dortmund to the Top
The team faces a crucial Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, followed by a Champions League playoff against Sporting next week for a spot in the last 16.
“The players have seen how sweet it is to win,” Kovac said. “Wins boost confidence. What happened before doesn’t matter now. What matters is what happens next. We are in 11th place, and we have a big game at home against Stuttgart. We want to win and take the next step forward—to bring Dortmund back where they belong, which is the top.”
Kovac’s Experience to Help Dortmund
Kovac, who won the Bundesliga and German Cup with Bayern Munich in 2018-19, has also coached Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Wolfsburg, and AS Monaco. Despite taking over mid-season, he remains optimistic.
“This is not an ideal situation, but you cannot always expect to have a full pre-season. We will not reinvent everything. The players already know a lot. It is about giving them confidence because every player needs it.”
With a tough road ahead, Kovac is determined to lift Dortmund back into contention and turn their season around.
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