Kovač reveals Gregor Kobel’s status before Frankfurt clash | OneFootball

Niko Kovač (54) returns to the site of one of his greatest triumphs. The head coach of Borussia Dortmund sensationally won the DFB Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018. On Friday (January 9, 8:30 p.m.), the Hessians will host BVB.

Unlike their upcoming opponents, the Black and Yellows completed a training camp in the sunny south. In Marbella, Spain, Kovač got his team fit for the second phase of the season. The football coach draws a positive conclusion. “The focus was very high. We worked with concentration, a lot, and well,” he reported on Thursday during the press conference ahead of the Frankfurt match.

Against his former club, the Berlin native is aiming for three points. “We want to widen the gap to the bottom. With a win, we’ll have a good cushion,” Kovač reaffirmed his ambitions. However, it won’t be easy. “But after the break, we first have to get back into the game well. I hope we can manage that against Frankfurt,” the BVB coach wishes.

“It won’t be an easy game”

Eintracht Frankfurt is characterized by attacking power. With 30 goals scored, they have the third-best offense in the league. The defense, however, has proven to be their Achilles’ heel. No other team has conceded more goals than the Eagles (30). “We have a very strong opponent in attack,” Kovač emphasized. Therefore, his team must “defend well,” but also take their own chances. “We can still improve there,” he added. The football coach ventures a prediction: “It won’t be an easy game, it will come down to small details and be close for 90 minutes.”

Center-back Aarón Anselmino (20) will not be available, as he still needs to take it easy due to his thigh injury. Good news for BVB: Anselmino’s parent club, FC Chelsea, will not end the Argentine’s loan early.

There is a big question mark over the involvement of Gregor Kobel (28), who, as Kovač reveals, has “caught a cold” and is also complaining of back problems. Backup keeper Alexander Meyer (34) could therefore feature at Deutsche Bank Park. This does not cause the Borussia coach any headaches. “If it’s not enough, we have enough quality in the squad to replace him adequately and equally,” the 54-year-old expressed his confidence in the number two.

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