Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovači spoke to the media ahead of a huge Bundesliga clash against Eintracht Frankfurt which was posted on Dortmund’s official YouTube channel in what will be Dortmund’s final home game of the season. With Dortmund still fighting to secure second place and Frankfurt battling for an important finish of their own, the match carries major importance for both clubs heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
The atmosphere around the fixture has already grown intense because of the pressure on both sides. Dortmund are looking to respond after a disappointing performance against Borussia Mönchengladbach, while Frankfurt arrive with their own struggles and expectations weighing heavily on the squad. Softfootball understands that Kovači expects a strong reaction from his players in front of a sold-out Signal Iduna Park crowd.
Kovači began by providing important updates on the condition of several players ahead of the match:
Things look quite good at the moment because Karim, Nicki and Felix all trained today, while Nicki and Felix were partially integrated into the session. Karim is already back fully in training and I hope all three can be options for the weekend. Karim is certainly closer at this stage. We still have another session tomorrow to confirm whether Nicki and Felix will be ready for the weekend or not.
Rami unfortunately will not make it. He still has pain in his foot and personally I do not think he will be available against Bremen either. That probably means his Bundesliga season is over, although not for the World Cup.
The Dortmund manager also addressed the pressure surrounding Frankfurt but insisted his focus remains on improving his own side after the recent defeat away from home:
We are aware there is a lot of expectation around Frankfurt because they still have the chance to reach their minimum target this season. That naturally does not make things easier for us. But our focus is on ourselves. After the game in Gladbach we must show a completely different face.
We have to play the way we did at home against Freiburg. This is our last home match of the season on a Friday night and we want to give our fans something special again. It does not matter who stands on the other side. We have a responsibility towards ourselves and we want to show a much better version of our team during these 90 minutes.
Kovači also reflected on Frankfurt’s consistency over recent seasons and admitted Dortmund are expecting a difficult challenge despite the noise around their opponents:
Frankfurt are still a very big club that regularly loses important players and replacing them is never easy. In the Bundesliga there are always surprise teams. Last season Frankfurt finished third and this year Hoffenheim have surprised many people as well.
We still expect a very difficult game because Frankfurt are fighting for a lot. We are too. We want to give our fans something to enjoy and we want to finish this Bundesliga season in second place. Last season we finished fourth and before that fifth, so finishing second would show clear progress.
The pressure around the match also comes at a time when Dortmund continue planning for the future behind the scenes. The club are believed to be making strong progress in talks over a new long-term deal for teenage prospect Samuele Inácio, who is viewed internally as one of the brightest young talents at the club. Dortmund’s recruitment team are also reportedly leading the race to sign promising teenage defender Liam Claude Kanté from Lokomotiva Zagreb as they continue building for the future.
Kovači was especially critical of his team’s mentality during the loss to Gladbach and stressed that commitment must come before quality:
In the Bundesliga, the first thing you must always bring is commitment and passion in every duel. Gladbach showed us that from the very first minute. We did not respond the way you need to in a Bundesliga game.
When you lose those battles, the second balls become difficult and that gives the opponent confidence and momentum. That was missing from us. Only after you win those battles can you show your footballing quality.
Gladbach fought first and then played good football. We tried to do it the other way around. In Germany there has always been a saying that first comes the fight, then comes the football. We did not manage that.
The Dortmund coach was also asked about transfer rumours and the possibility of major squad changes during the summer window:
It does not make sense to comment on every transfer rumour because there are many names being discussed. We want to improve next season. Some players will leave and three players will be honoured on Friday evening, so naturally we also need to reshape parts of the squad.
Every team has a different face at the beginning of a new season because some players leave and others arrive. We are confident we can build something very good with the players we already have here.
Attention also turned toward Julian Brandt and the emotional significance of Dortmund’s final home game of the season:
I was a player myself and I know what these moments mean, whether you start the game or come on from the bench. Especially when it is the final home match, those moments are important. I still want to watch tomorrow’s training before making final decisions.
Kovači later spoke about Dortmund’s frequent evening kick-offs and admitted he still appreciates the traditional Bundesliga afternoon schedule:
We grew up with 15:30 kick-offs and it is a great time for supporters. But Dortmund is a huge club and when evening games are shown, many more people watch us.
“As a player I always loved playing under the floodlights because it creates a different atmosphere. Still, the traditional 15:30 matches also have charm. No matter the time, we must perform.
The Dortmund boss also discussed Karim Adeyemi’s fitness situation ahead of the World Cup squad announcement and suggested caution will be taken with the forward:
I want as many of our players as possible to be at the World Cup. Karim had a slight muscular injury and he has not played a Bundesliga minute in the last few weeks, so we must be careful.
He will probably come from the bench because the risk is too big otherwise. The important thing is that both he and the doctors believe he is fully fit. If he comes on, he can still make an impact.
Kovači also commented on Gregor Kobel’s chance to break Dortmund’s clean sheet record while praising backup goalkeeper Alex Meyer:
At the moment we have 14 clean sheets. Fifteen would equal the record and sixteen would break it. It is an important achievement especially for the goalkeeper and defenders.
But Alex Meyer also does a fantastic job every single day. He always gives everything despite knowing he is the number two goalkeeper. I still have different thoughts in my mind regarding that situation.
Fans have reacted positively to Kovači’s honest assessment ahead of the Frankfurt clash, with many supporters calling for a strong response after the Gladbach defeat. Others have also expressed excitement over Dortmund’s reported interest in several young talents as the club continues preparing for the future.
Watch the video below;
The overall feeling around Borussia Dortmund is one of determination and responsibility ahead of the final home match of the season. With league position, pride, and emotion all involved, Friday night’s meeting with Frankfurt is expected to deliver a tense and highly charged atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park.
