"Chances still 50:50": Kovac wary ahead of BVB clash with Atalanta | OneFootball

Good news came this Tuesday from the BVB camp. The long-injured defensive stalwarts Emre Can (32) and Nico Schlotterbeck (26) are back in the squad. Whether they will be in the starting lineup on Wednesday (February 25, 6:45 PM) in the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Atalanta Bergamo remains open.

"If they train with the team, they are ready for tomorrow," explains Niko Kovac (54) at the press conference before the match. "We will discuss again whether and how we will do it," the Dortmund coach remains tight-lipped. However, it helps "when the two captains are on board."

With a 2-0 lead from the first leg in their luggage, the Black and Yellows traveled to Lombardy. But Kovac raises a warning finger. "The chances are still 50:50," the football coach is convinced. Although the two-goal cushion is "a good result," to advance to the round of 16, we must "give everything again tomorrow," demands the head coach.

The goal is to win in Bergamo as well. "We don't want to manage the result tomorrow," Kovac announces an offensive approach, because: "Playing 0:0 is not an option anyway."

Active fan scene upset

The atmosphere in the New Balance Arena will ensure a lively mood, Kovac believes. "There will be singing for 90 minutes, they will certainly get all the support," the 54-year-old is convinced and therefore demands: "That's why we will clearly focus on our game."

However, official regulations from the authorities in Bergamo are causing great annoyance. BVB fans who were not born in Germany or do not have a residence in Germany were excluded from purchasing tickets. The Bundesliga club described the procedure as disproportionate in an official statement. Additionally, "Borussia Dortmund was more than surprised by the scope and dimension of the police measures taken," it said.

Photo: IMAGO

Although the order was withdrawn, the active fan scene is refusing organized support. "From what I have gathered, we will still have great support tomorrow," Kovac hopes. Nevertheless, it is "of course a shame that some were excluded."

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