Training time, personnel matters, atmosphere – Niko Kovac speaks ahead of the match against Köln | OneFootball

The scenarioBVB have been second in the table since matchday 15. Borussia are currently six points ahead of their closest rivals Hoffenheim, who they will play away from home on 18 April (see fixtures). They are eight points clear of the team in fifth place, with the top four qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. The 52 points that the Black & Yellows have picked up so far this season almost matches last season's tally (57), even though there are still ten games left to play this season. “We want to pick up points. We want to win every game. That's our goal,” says BVB coach Niko Kovac when talking about the last third of the season. “We can't afford to let our intensity drop off. The lads know that, and we're training accordingly. We're not allowing ourselves to think that 99 percent will be enough to get us what we’re aiming for.”

As there are no more midweek fixtures until the end of the season, Niko Kovac can spend more time with his team on the training ground. “We want to use the time wisely. That's what happened last season when we performed really well in the last ten games,” said Kovac. “We can now do some things that we had to neglect due to the limited training time. I hope that these elements will then also be clearly visible on the pitch.”

Personnel mattersIn last weekend's match against Bayern Munich (2-3), captain Emre Can suffered a cruciate ligament rupture and will now be out of action for a long time. “I spoke to him on the phone again yesterday. He's doing well considering the circumstances,” says Niko Kovac. “I hope his contract will be extended and that he'll be back as soon as possible. He has our support. As an athlete, you have to be aware that you may get injured, but the important thing is to come back stronger. I am firmly convinced that he will do because he is a great character and a great sportsman. That's why we're waiting for him.”

Carney Chukwuemeka was absent on Saturday due to muscle problems and will not be part of the squad in Cologne either. However, there is good news about Niklas Süle and Filippo Mane. While Mane is working individually on the training ground, Süle took part in aspects of team training for the first time on Wednesday and Thursday.

The opponentKöln picked up 14 points in the first nine matchdays, which took them up to seventh place in the table. But the promoted team has now slipped to 13th place – their lowest position of the season – and is in the midst of a relegation battle. Köln are now only two points ahead of the relegation zone. Their last victory came back at the end of January (1-0 against Wolfsburg), and Effzeh did not win a single game in February, losing against Leipzig, Stuttgart and, most recently, Augsburg, and drawing with Hoffenheim.

But Kovac warns: “This team is capable of great things, especially at home in their fantastic stadium with its great atmosphere. That's why we have to give it our all and work hard to defeat our opponents.” The coach emphasises: “We have to play serious football there and not get caught up in the euphoria. When the mood swings from high to low or vice versa, it's always difficult to play in Cologne.”Christina Reinke