Gregor Kobel in confident mood prior to start of season: "Not a bad position to start from" | OneFootball

Kobel dispels a lot of the arguments put forward by doubters who are predicting a difficult start for BVB due to their participation in the Club World Cup in the USA and the resulting delay to the start of training. The Swiss shot-stopper points to the hectic schedule in the summer of 2024, when his team contested the Champions League final against Real Madrid at the beginning of June and then had to release numerous international players for the European Championships: “Last season was even more difficult – with a European Championship and a Champions League final, it was definitely more challenging. I think we had one week fewer in pre-season than we do now. I think we actually had a more pleasant pre-season this year.”

Kobel references another advantage of the Club World Cup: Unlike at the European Championships in Germany, his Dortmund team-mates were not spread across different teams: “Normally, everyone is scattered all over the place in the summer and away with their national teams for a long time. This summer, we were together – even in America. That's not such a bad position to start from.”

According to the Switzerland international, this time spent together was beneficial for team spirit: “You can get a lot out of it. You get to know each other a bit better and don't have to get used to each other again because you've been away with the national team for six weeks, playing a different system and surrounded by different guys.”

This fuels Kobel's belief that Borussia will pick up where they left off at the end of last season, when they picked up 22 out of a possible 24 points and secured qualification for Europe's premier club competition late on. “For us, it's about getting back to where we were, in terms of mentality and focus. Really being present from the very first moment and delivering performances on the pitch throughout the entire season,” Kobel said.

Gregor Kobel: “He has the physical attributes to become a top player”

Kobel does not wish to attach too much importance to the fact his team struggled for a long time in their first competitive match of the season – against third-tier Rot-Weiss Essen in the DFB-Pokal – and only scored the winning goal late on through Serhou Guirassy (79th minute). He prefers to talk about Filippo Mane's intervention. Thanks to his artistic defensive intervention in the closing stages, the 20-year-old thwarted Essen's impending equaliser and made his case to coach Niko Kovac for further inclusion in the starting line-up. Kobel was full of praise: “I think he has great potential and reads the game very well. He has the physical attributes to become a top player.”

A similarly unconditional commitment will also be required on Saturday at the Millerntor Stadium in Hamburg's Kiez district, which is known for its electric atmosphere. Kobel is expecting a hard-fought match: “It's not an easy game away at this stadium. We have to be prepared for a tough battle. But I believe that's something that sets us apart now. We just have to take a tough approach against them and make sure that we decide the game with the quality we have.”