Niko Kovac on his side's chances in Leverkusen: "Nothing less than 100% will be enough" | OneFootball

BVB have gone six games unbeaten in the Bundesliga (five wins, one draw). The Black & Yellows want to - and must - continue this trend if they are to maintain their chances of fourth place and with it qualification for next season's Champions League. Coach Niko Kovac's team are currently in fifth place with 51 points, which qualifies them for the UEFA Europa League. The gap to Freiburg and fourth place is just one point. The Breisgauers face Holstein Kiel on Saturday (15:30 CEST) - should SCF lose or draw in Kiel, Borussia Dortmund will have a chance to move up to fourth place on Sunday afternoon.

"Regardless of how the situation in Kiel turns out," said BVB coach Niko Kovac, "we want to win our game." What is more, as BVB are not yet secure in fifth place (one point ahead of Leipzig), the Black & Yellows "have to make sure that we have a successful game."

"A team who are very well-balanced" The task on Sunday will certainly not be an easy one, as their opponents are none other than the 2024 double winners: Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Niko Kovac is well aware of this. "Leverkusen are a team who are very well-balanced. A team that have very strong technical and tactical ability, with a fantastic coach. They'll be one of the toughest opponents we've faced in recent weeks."

Since Leverkusen's 2-2 draw in Freiburg last Sunday, it has been clear that the Werkself will finish the season in second place in the table - regardless of how the last two games of the season against BVB and Mainz 05 turn out.

But it is precisely this scenario that makes Leverkusen, who beat Dortmund 3-2 in the reverse fixture, such a dangerous opponent, said BVB captain Emre Can on Friday afternoon. "They can play with freedom because they have nothing left to lose or win. That's when you play at your best." The 2024 champions are a strong team, "but so are we," said Can.

His coach Niko Kovac agrees: "It's pretty clear that we'll need to be at 100%. Nothing less will be enough. And if we go to our maximum level, if we challenge the opposition - even when they have the ball - then I believe we have the ability to win the game." Kovac said that Leverkusen wanted to give their fans - and their coach - a proper send-off in their final home game of the season. The clash between BVB and the Werkself will be Leverkusen's last home game under Xabi Alonso - Bayer announced the dissolution of the Spanish World Cup winner's contract at his request on Friday afternoon. None of this makes the task on Sunday any easier for BVB, but: "We travelled to Munich and had high hopes. I think we performed very well there," said Kovac, referring to the 2-2 draw away to Bayern in mid-April.

BVB will be missing centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck and striker Maximilian Beier in Leverkusen. Captain Emre Can, Carney Chukwuemeka and Jamie Gittens did not take part in the public training session with the team on Friday morning, but Niko Kovac does not believe that the trio are at risk of missing the game: "All three are expected back on the training pitch tomorrow."

Emre Can had already set the tone for the final two matchdays before he's even been able to return to team training. The Black & Yellows' captain believes the team can clinch a Champions League place, but knows that BVB will have to deliver to do so: "There are still two important games, nothing is done yet," said Can as he looked ahead to the remaining fixtures: on Sunday in Leverkusen and at home to Kiel on the final matchday. "I believe that we'll win the two games and that Freiburg will drop points so that we'll finish fourth in the table," said the BVB captain.