"We’re gutted": Kovac reacts to Anselmino’s departure from BVB | OneFootball

Aaron Anselmino has unexpectedly returned to Chelsea FC early, leaving a gap in BVB's defense. Coach Niko Kovac explains why he remains calm ahead of the Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

Borussia Dortmund has to cope with a personnel setback in the final stretch of the season. Loanee Aaron Anselmino has returned to Chelsea FC early after the Premier League club activated a recall clause. This caused disappointment at BVB, including for coach Niko Kovac.

"Aaron is a great guy. We are sad that he has left us," said Kovac before the Champions League match against Inter Milan on Wednesday (9 PM). At the same time, the 54-year-old made it clear that he does not see an urgent need for action in the transfer market: "But I still have five central defenders. That should be enough to compensate for a loss."

The personnel situation in defense remains tense. In addition to Anselmino's departure, Niklas Süle (back problems) and Marcel Sabitzer (calf) are currently missing. Additionally, Daniel Svensson is suspended, and Salih Özcan is not registered for the Champions League. Kovac assessed the situation soberly: "We are depleted in terms of the number of players. But we still have a very good squad."

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The remaining options in defense include Nico Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini, Emre Can, and homegrown talent Filippo Mané. Kovac trusts the 20-year-old Italian with an important role: "He is a player who has developed very well. You can see that young players can make a big leap in half a year."

Sportingly, BVB faces a decisive evening on the last matchday of the Champions League group stage. As the 16th in the table, Dortmund is fighting for the best possible starting scenario for the playoffs. Kovac avoids calculations and sets a clear course: "It's about playing the 90 minutes as we must. With intensity, aggressiveness, energy. We want to win."

Against the top Italian club, the BVB coach expects a tough challenge: "The quality in the Champions League is very, very good. We are playing against a really classy football team." It is all the more important to be defensively stable and to use the chances going forward consistently.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.