After the big farewell: BVB coach Kovac gets emotional | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund loses an experienced leader in Pascal Groß. Coach Niko Kovac openly explains why the departure affects him personally and why BVB will not be making any new signings for the midfield.

The departure of Pascal Groß from Borussia Dortmund is official – and it leaves its mark not only on the pitch, but also on a personal level. The 34-year-old will return to his former club Brighton & Hove Albion this winter. While Groß bid farewell to the Black and Yellows with emotional words, BVB coach Niko Kovac made it clear just how much this departure affects him personally.

“This hurts me personally very much, because I valued him greatly – both as a person and as a player,” Kovac openly stated at the training camp in Marbella. At the same time, the 54-year-old emphasized that the decision was made together and in the best interest of the player. Recently, Groß had not been getting the playing time he had hoped for – a decisive factor with regard to his big goal. “His declared goal is the World Cup. And we agreed that we did not want to stand in his way,” Kovac continued.

No replacement planned for Groß: BVB forgoes new midfield signing

Groß’s role had also changed on the sporting side recently. In the new coach’s system, the experienced midfielder no longer played a key role, with younger or more dynamic players like Felix Nmecha or Marcel Sabitzer overtaking him. For a professional with World Cup ambitions, this was a clear signal – and ultimately the trigger for his return to the Premier League.

Nevertheless, Kovac highlighted Groß’s importance to the team. Especially at the beginning of his tenure, the veteran played an important role, always acting professionally and with motivation. “He was always motivated, he was a consummate professional. Every coach wants a player like that,” said the BVB coach. That made the farewell all the more difficult for him. Still, he is convinced he made the right decision: “That’s why I think it’s the right decision for him to leave.”

Sportingly, BVB will not compensate for the departure. Kovac made it clear that there will be no replacement in central midfield. With Jobe Bellingham, Felix Nmecha, Marcel Sabitzer, and also Salih Özcan, he sees the squad as sufficiently staffed.

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