Niko Kovac stated his Borussia Dortmund gamers should dig deep to spice up their confidence forward of their Champions League play-off second leg in opposition to Sporting CP.
Kovac watched on as Dortmund have been overwhelmed by lowly Bochum 2-0 within the Bundesliga on Saturday, leaving them languishing in eleventh place within the German top-flight.
However Kovac, who changed Nuri Sahin as BVB’s coach earlier this month, notched the primary victory of his tenure in a 3-0 win over Sporting within the first leg of their play-off tie.
Dortmund’s win within the first leg was the twelfth time they’ve gained the primary leg of a significant European knockout stage tie away from residence, progressing in every of the final 11.
They’ve additionally gained 4 of their 5 conferences with Sporting in all competitions (L1), with each of their earlier residence video games in opposition to them ending 1-0.
Dortmund have solely misplaced one in every of their final 15 residence matches within the Champions League (W10 D4), with that lone defeat coming to Barcelona in December (2-3).
The German facet have additionally netted 33 targets throughout these 15 matches, at a median of two.2 per outing, however Kovac stated previous outcomes are a distant reminiscence for his facet.
“I’m a soccer coach, and it isn’t the top of this play-off, simply the primary half,” Kovac advised a press convention on Tuesday, forward of the second leg for a spot within the final 16.
“As coach it’s important to attempt to give the gamers that self-confidence.
“By good coaching, good matches, via wins. As a coach, I see the outcomes but additionally the great issues that we do. We have now to multiply these in matches,” he added.
“These gamers are gamers of top quality, however for the time being the top is the important thing issue.”
#BVBSCP ladt… #UCL pic.twitter.com/jmLoCK92GZ
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) February 18, 2025
Dortmund’s struggles within the Bundesliga this season have seen them drop eight factors adrift of the ultimate Champions League qualifying spot within the German top-flight.
Certainly, lots of their failures have come from their very own doing, with Niklas Sule’s weak backpass gifting Giorgos Masouras Bochum’s second aim of their final Bundesliga defeat, which has been a narrative of their marketing campaign thus far.
Within the Bundesliga this season, solely Bochum, RB Leipzig (each seven), Eintracht Frankfurt and Holstein Kiel (each eight) have made extra errors resulting in targets than Dortmund (5).
“Thrice previously matches we allowed our opponents to run alone in the direction of aim. We have now to minimise these issues,” Kovac stated.
“It’s about enjoyable the top, resetting it,” he added. “What helps is coaching, success in coaching and most of all, wins.
“We’re not silly to say that this tie is completed. We have now to play as intensely as we are able to. We are able to’t say we play solely 50%, not within the Champions League.”