Dortmund’s Kovac Demands Focus Ahead of Cologne Clash

DORTMUND, Germany – Following a crucial Champions League victory in Copenhagen, Borussia Dortmund coach Nico Kovac is demanding maximum focus from his players ahead of their Bundesliga match against 1. FC Köln on Saturday at 6:30 PM local time.

“We must be alert from the first minute; it hasn’t been like that in our last two games, which is not how I envision it,” Kovac said. The coach emphasized the importance of securing all three points as they shift back to league play.

Facing a strong Köln team, who currently sits just two places behind Dortmund in the league standings, Kovac expects a challenging match. “They have had a good start and carry a lot of excitement with their many fans. They play quickly and look for scoring opportunities fast,” he explained.

Kovac also highlighted the impressive performance of Köln’s rising star, Said El Mala, noting, “He has shown great things. We need to guide him to areas where he is not as strong.” He added that during their recent match against Bayern, his team successfully contained individual threats like Luis Diaz and Michael Olise.

As for player availability, Kovac reported that Dortmund has no significant injury concerns, although Serhou Guirassy and Yan Couto were feeling a bit under the weather. However, he stated their participation is likely not in jeopardy.

Statistically, Dortmund has an advantage over Köln, having lost only once in their last 24 home matches against them, which adds to Kovac’s confidence going into the game.