Niko Kovac prior to game in Heidenheim: “We want to establish ourselves at the top” | OneFootball

The matches after international breaks are “immensely important,” explained BVB coach Niko Kovac, adding: “You have to get into your rhythm again. You haven’t trained together for two weeks. That doesn’t make things any easier, but we have the necessary quality. I’m someone who makes demands, because we have ambitions: we want to establish ourselves at the top.” The Black & Yellows have four points on the board after two rounds of matches and will travel to the Brenz in fourth place in the table. The team picked up one point in the 3-3 draw away to St. Pauli in their opening Bundesliga match, then claimed a 3-0 victory over Union Berlin before the internationals departed for their national teams. “We’re happy that everyone has come back fit. We trained to a slightly reduced extent because our lads have been travelling a great deal, and in some cases had very long journeys too,” according to Kovac. The returnees - of whom Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Ryerson were in action on Tuesday - are set to be gradually reintroduced into training operations.

Only a small group of players stayed in Dortmund. Nico Schlotterbeck used the time to complete parts of team training again following his meniscus injury - “still without opposition contact, all manageable,” emphasised Kovac. “He is still not supposed to contest any challenges. But a central defender needs to contest challenges if he wants to be an option for a competitive match. We will give him the time he needs to be 100% fit and, above all, to be 100% ready to play.”

The injured trio of Niklas Süle, Emre Can and Julian Duranville will also remain sidelined. New signing Fabio Silva is also not yet ready to play. Julian Brandt already sustained a hand injury during the FIFA Club World Cup and underwent an operation during the international window. The midfielder has not yet returned to training and “we need to see whether he’s okay for the weekend,” according to Kovac.

Heidenheim still without points

After two Bundesliga matchdays, Heidenheim remain pointless and second from bottom in the table. A home defeat against Wolfsburg (3-1) was followed by a 2-0 loss in Leipzig. However, Kovac does not wish to underestimate the opposition. “They are an opponent that will play to their limits physically, an opponent that will challenge us physically above all else. We certainly need to ensure that we hold our own.”

FCH have never previously started a season with three defeats - either in the Bundesliga or in the 2. Bundesliga or 3. Liga. While Heidenheim wish to prevent this from happening for the first time, Borussia are aiming to continue a run: Heidenheim are currently the only Bundesliga team against whom BVB have not yet lost a top-flight match (two wins and two draws). Like they did on 13 September 2024, BVB want to beat Heidenheim again - but this time, a year later, away from home at the Voith-Arena.Christina Reinke