Build-up to season opener: Mats Hummels returns to SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

In partnership with

Borussia Dortmund

·10 August 2025

Build-up to season opener: Mats Hummels returns to SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

{"subCategory":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"subCategory","title":"Departments","multiValue":true,"value":"Professionals","exportedType":"text/plain"},"dataLayer":{"editable-3304a94386":{"dc:description":"

At the training camp in Saalfelden, we have seen Niko Kovac continue to be loud and take a clear line with his players. In an interview with Nobby, our head coach struck a somewhat quieter tone. Instead, he spoke more openly about his impressions of the team and the way he wants them to play football. Kovac also revealed which game from last season he would like to play again \u2013 and how he first came into contact with the black and yellow colours at an early age.
\n<\/p>\n","xdm:linkURL":"https://www.bvb.de/de/en/news/news-overview/news.html/2025/8/8/Interview-with-Niko-Kovac-about-hard-work-intense-football-and-what-our-fans-want-to-see.html","@type":"/apps/bvbweb/components/newssliderelements/editable","dc:title":"Interview with Niko Kovac about hard work, intense football and \u201cwhat our fans want to see\u201d","repo:modifyDate":"2025-08-08T13:00:00Z"}},"displayTag":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"displayTag","title":"Display Department","multiValue":true,"value":["bvbweb:news/sub-category/profis"],"exportedType":"text/plain"},"metadescription":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"metadescription","title":"Meta Description","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"linkTarget":"_self","link":"https://www.bvb.de/de/en/news/news-overview/news.html/2025/8/8/Interview-with-Niko-Kovac-about-hard-work-intense-football-and-what-our-fans-want-to-see.html","stageImages":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"string","name":"stageImages","title":"Image (Stage Image)","multiValue":true,"value":["/content/dam/bvbweb/en/news/2025/08/08/kovac-interview/Interview-Kovac.jpg"],"exportedType":"text/plain"},"experience":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"experience","title":"Experience Fragment","multiValue":false,"exportedType":"text/plain"},"appExport":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"appExport","title":"App Export (Clubplatform)","multiValue":false,"value":true,"exportedType":"boolean"},"showDate":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"calendar","name":"showDate","title":"Show Date and Time (CET)","multiValue":false,"value":"08.08.25 13:00 Z","exportedType":"calendar"},"teaserText":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"teaserText","html":"

At the training camp in Saalfelden, we have seen Niko Kovac continue to be loud and take a clear line with his players. In an interview with Nobby, our head coach struck a somewhat quieter tone. Instead, he spoke more openly about his impressions of the team and the way he wants them to play football. Kovac also revealed which game from last season he would like to play again \u2013 and how he first came into contact with the black and yellow colours at an early age.
\n<\/p>\n","title":"Teaser Text","multiValue":false,"value":"At the training camp in Saalfelden, we have seen Niko Kovac continue to be loud and take a clear line with his players. In an interview with Nobby, our head coach struck a somewhat quieter tone. Instead, he spoke more openly about his impressions of the team and the way he wants them to play football. Kovac also revealed which game from last season he would like to play again \u2013 and how he first came into contact with the black and yellow colours at an early age.","exportedType":"text/html"},"scheduledPush":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"scheduledPush","title":"Scheduled Push Notification?","multiValue":false,"value":false,"exportedType":"boolean"},"disableAdsOnNewsPage":{"multiLine":false,"dataType":"boolean","name":"disableAdsOnNewsPage","title":"Disable Ads on News Page","multiValue":false,"value":false,"exportedType":"boolean"},"text":{"multiLine":true,"dataType":"string","name":"text","html":"

\u201cThe day starts early and ends quite late,\u201d said Niko Kovac of his working day. Nonetheless, he found time for a chat with Nobby Dickel at the BVB training camp in Saalfelden. \u201cWe don't have much time to prepare. I told the guys that we need to make good use of every single minute so that we don't waste any time unnecessarily. The commitment and quality in the first week, but also here and now in Austria, have been very good,\u201d said the coach of the training sessions, where the focus is on repeating \u201cwhat has set us apart\u201d. Kovac went on to add: \u201cBecause when the guys know what they have to do, it's much easier and then they can show their qualities without a doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Black and yellow suited him well, remarked Dickel, prompting the coach to share another anecdote: \u201cThat's how I started out as a little boy. My first club, Rapide Wedding, also wore black and yellow.\u201d Kovac, who has been in charge of the Black & Yellow Borussia since February, declared: \u201cFor me, BVB stands for passion, intensity, aggressiveness, ups and downs, hard work but also spectacle. We want to play intense football. We want to challenge our opponents, both on the ball and off the ball. And I am convinced that we also saw that in the final matches of last season. We had many great matches, we scored many goals and we also provided spectacle. That's what I personally want to see. That's what the club wants to see, and that's also what our supporters want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further statements from Niko Kovac can be found in the interview on BVB-TV.<\/p>\n

To the video<\/a><\/p>\n","title":"Text","multiValue":false,"value":"

\u201cThe day starts early and ends quite late,\u201d said Niko Kovac of his working day. Nonetheless, he found time for a chat with Nobby Dickel at the BVB training camp in Saalfelden. \u201cWe don't have much time to prepare. I told the guys that we need to make good use of every single minute so that we don't waste any time unnecessarily. The commitment and quality in the first week, but also here and now in Austria, have been very good,\u201d said the coach of the training sessions, where the focus is on repeating \u201cwhat has set us apart\u201d. Kovac went on to add: \u201cBecause when the guys know what they have to do, it's much easier and then they can show their qualities without a doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Black and yellow suited him well, remarked Dickel, prompting the coach to share another anecdote: \u201cThat's how I started out as a little boy. My first club, Rapide Wedding, also wore black and yellow.\u201d Kovac, who has been in charge of the Black & Yellow Borussia since February, declared: \u201cFor me, BVB stands for passion, intensity, aggressiveness, ups and downs, hard work but also spectacle. We want to play intense football. We want to challenge our opponents, both on the ball and off the ball. And I am convinced that we also saw that in the final matches of last season. We had many great matches, we scored many goals and we also provided spectacle. That's what I personally want to see. That's what the club wants to see, and that's also what our supporters want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further statements from Niko Kovac can be found in the interview on BVB-TV.<\/p>\n