“We’ll see”: BVB boss Kovac on captain Can’s comeback | OneFootball

On Friday (February 13, 8:30 PM), Borussia Dortmund will kick off Matchday 22 of the Bundesliga with a game against Mainz 05. “This is no walkover,” warns Niko Kovac (54) about the resurgent team from Rhineland.

For a long time, Mainz languished at the bottom of the table. Following a heavy 0:4 defeat at SC Freiburg, their coach Bo Henriksen (51) lost his job. After twelve rounds, they had only one win and six points to their name.

Two weeks later, Urs Fischer (59) took over and started with a 2:2 draw against league leaders Bayern Munich. Under the Swiss coach, Mainz won four times and lost only once, a 1:2 defeat in Cologne. Fischer’s record: 15 points from eight matches.

Kovac is impressed by the upward trend of their next opponent. “They put in a strong performance in Munich and Leipzig. That has to be a warning for us,” the BVB coach reminded everyone at Wednesday’s press conference. Against RB, FSV even managed a 2:1 away win. That’s why the Berlin native expects “a tough game” on Friday.

The Borussia captain won’t be able to play. Emre Can (32) is out for now due to adductor problems. But Kovac sees a silver lining. “I know how Emre is and how he lives. His ambitions are clear: he wants to be there in the Champions League—also against Leipzig and Munich,” the 54-year-old revealed. On February 17, the Black and Yellows will host Atalanta Bergamo in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs. Four days later, the duel with RB Leipzig follows.

Chance for youngster Reggiani?

“Whether he’ll make it, we’ll see,” Kovac gives no guarantee for the captain’s return. He doesn’t want to rule anything out in principle. “In terms of willpower, I’m convinced,” he shows great respect for Can’s efforts. And then ventures a prediction: “I expect Emre Can to return faster than expected.”

The defensive worries for Bayern’s pursuers are significant. In addition to Can, the suspended Nico Schlotterbeck (26) and Daniel Svensson (23), as well as the injured youngsters Filippo Mane (20) and Almugera Kabar (19), will be missing against Mainz. The team almost picks itself in defense.

“We currently have three nominal central defenders,” Kovac notes. The just 18-year-old Luca Reggiani made his professional debut last weekend in the 2:1 away win against VfL Wolfsburg. “I have no hesitation in using him,” says the BVB coach about the young Italian’s chances.

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