Kovac responds with a dig at Germany axe for BVB star Beier | OneFootball

After the non-nomination of Maximilian Beier and Pascal Groß for the national team, BVB coach Niko Kovac is showing his displeasure. With strong words, he indirectly addresses national coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Borussia Dortmund's coach Niko Kovac has expressed clear criticism of national coach Julian Nagelsmann. The reason is the surprising non-nomination of Maximilian Beier and Pascal Groß for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches of the German national team against Luxembourg and Slovakia.

The current DFB squad includes four Dortmund professionals: Waldemar Anton, Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Karim Adeyemi. However, two other BVB players were not considered by national coach Julian Nagelsmann. Especially the decision to leave Beier out has upset Kovac: “I am surprised, like many of you, because I think he has done well in the national team and with us,” said the coach on Friday at the press conference before the Bundesliga match against Hamburger SV.

Kovac emphasized that Beier has played regularly and shown good performances in recent weeks: “He has played regularly – just like Pascal (Groß).” For this reason, it is difficult for him to understand why both players were not considered. “I would have been very happy if both had been included. But the national coach has ultimately decided otherwise,” the 54-year-old concluded with an audible dig at Nagelsmann.

Deployment of BVB star Brandt against HSV remains uncertain

While four Dortmund national players will be on international duty during the break, the rest of the team is focusing on the away game against HSV. Kovac warned before the match: “We are in for a heated battle. We have less than 72 hours of recovery and must be ready from the first second.”

The participation of Julian Brandt is uncertain, as he is still not fully fit due to muscular problems. His participation on Saturday depends on the final training session. Ramy Bensebaini is complaining of back problems but should be as ready to play as Niklas Süle, who is returning from his toe injury.

After the clear 1-4 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League, Niko Kovac wants to achieve a positive result with his team in Hamburg. For the BVB coach, it is not only about points but also about sending a message – on the pitch and indirectly towards the national coach.

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