How Kovač led BVB into the Champions League race | OneFootball

How Niko Kovač masterminded Borussia Dortmund's UEFA Champions League qualification bid

From mid-table obscurity to the cusp of UEFA Champions League qualification, Borussia Dortmund's turnaround under Niko Kovač has been nothing short of astonishing.

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Just two months ago, the idea of Dortmund competing for a top-four finish would have seemed far fetched to say the least. On Matchday 26, BVB sat in 11th place, trailing the coveted fourth and final Champions League qualification berth by a seemingly insurmountable 10 points. Fast forward to the coming weekend’s final matchday, and they stand just 90 minutes away from securing Champions League football for the 2025/26 campaign.

So, how did Kovač - parachuted in to replace club favourite Nuri Şahin in late January - rescue what many believed was a lost campaign? bundesliga.com explains...

Dortmund's defenders, such as Nico Schlotterbeck, have performed far better in a back three system since Kovač became coach. (Lukas Schulze/Bundesliga)

Kovač’s tactical tinkering

Initially, results were slow to pick up following Kovač’s arrival, with Dortmund losing four of his opening six Bundesliga matches. Fans braced for more of the same frustration that plagued the Şahin era. But the newly appointed Croatian showed the kind of tactical flexibility that sets him apart as one of the best coaches in the business.

Recognising the squad's deficiencies in playing a back four – often too porous and exposed in transition – Kovač quickly switched to a back three. The change proved a masterstroke. In the 20 league games before Kovač’s arrival, Dortmund conceded an average of 1.7 goals per game. In the 13 matches since, that figure is down to 1.3.

Kovač and his Eintracht Frankfurt players celebrate winning the 2018 DFB Cup final 3-1 against Bayern Munich. (AFP/Getty Images)

While the side conceded nine goals immediately after losing possession under Şahin, it’s happened only once under Kovač. To put it simply: when they lose the ball, Dortmund now tend to regroup and weather the storm.

Since implementing the new system, Dortmund have become not only harder to break down, but also more efficient going forward. In the last seven games alone, the Black-Yellows have surged to six wins and a draw, scoring 23 goals – more than any team in the Bundesliga over that period. The tactical pivot also allowed key forward players like Serhou Guirassy to flourish.

The Guinean striker has been in electric form, scoring 13 goals in the second half of the season, including five in his past four games. That Rückrunde tally is unmatched, with even the prolific Harry Kane trailing behind, on nine.

Kovač’s Dortmund is not the possession-obsessed machine that Şahin wanted to create. Instead, the focus has shifted to slightly more direct football. BVB’s average possession has dipped (from around 59 percent to 54 percent), but their effectiveness has skyrocketed. They now thrive in direct transitions, exploiting space with aggressive running and quick, incisive passes.

The very best coaches are able to diagnose issues at a football club and find solutions, even if that means abandoning traditional values for a more pragmatic approach in the short term. For a club like Dortmund, previously known for their heavy-metal brand of football under Jürgen Klopp, Kovač might be the perfect fit.

Fighting for the cause

Kovač’s influence isn’t limited to the tactics board. The 53-year-old – known as a tough-tackling midfielder during his own playing days – has instilled his own fighting spirit in the team, demanding more intensity in duels and more effort all over the pitch. Those basics have always mattered to Kovač, who masterminded a hardworking Eintracht Frankfurt’s DFB Cup final triumph over Bayern Munich in 2018.

Dortmund's players have upped their effort accordingly, and appear to be fighting for their futures under the new boss. Dortmund are now among the top sides in the league for challenges won and distance covered – a testament to the new culture Kovač has embedded.

"I demand that we approach every game as if it were a Champions League match," said the coach shortly after taking charge.

"Niko kicked us in the ass," said forward Karim Adeyemi has said of Kovač's demanding approach. "He told us we had to run, no matter who we were playing against. It was very difficult at the beginning. But I have to honestly say, it helped me. I feel somehow fitter."

The points don’t lie. Under Kovač, Dortmund have collected 25 points from 13 Bundesliga games – the same tally they managed in 20 games under Şahin.

Final-day drama

Dortmund’s resurgence has set up a final-day showdown of epic proportions. They travel to Holstein Kiel knowing that a three-goal victory would guarantee them a place in next season's Champions League, irrespective of other results. Even a two-goal win could well be enough, depending on how the clash between direct rivals Freiburg and Frankfurt unfolds. The fact that the latter two clubs (sitting in fourth and third place, one and two points clear of Kovač’s men, respectively) are playing each other is a significant boost for Dortmund, as they can’t possibly both take three points from their final game.

Should Dortmund pull it off, it would mark only the second time in Bundesliga history that a team has risen from 11th to fourth over the final eight matchdays. The only other instance? Dortmund themselves, in the 1993/94 campaign. Lightning could be about to strike twice at Signal Iduna Park.

As the Bundesliga gears up for a thrilling final day, Dortmund’s Champions League hopes rest on them at the very least defeating Kiel. But regardless of what happens, the team’s turnaround under Kovač has already enamoured him with the fanbase. Next season, BVB could be a different beast altogether.

>>> Click here for the final-day permutations in full!

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