Niko Kovac expects “a tough battle” at HSV | OneFootball

The scenarioThe third-placed team faces the thirteenth-placed team (see facts). For Borussia Dortmund, this is the last of four away games in a row going into the international break. After victories in the DFB-Pokal at Eintracht Frankfurt (4-2 on penalties) and in the Bundesliga at FC Augsburg (1-0), Borussia suffered a 4-1 defeat at Manchester City during the week. After two wins and a draw, it was the first loss in this Champions League campaign. “We have a large squad, with every single player capable of playing from the start. We have rotated regularly in recent weeks to ensure that everyone has the necessary freshness,” says BVB coach Niko Kovac. “We want to win the game. It’s not just about taking the three points, but also about going into the international break with a good feeling.”

Personnel mattersAccording to Kovac, Ramy Bensebaini has back problems, “which he already had two or three weeks ago”. Niklas Süle and Julian Brandt had to sit out in Manchester. Niklas Süle will take part in the final training session on Friday afternoon and “we will also test Jule in training and then see if he is fit for tomorrow.” Emre Can made his return to the matchday squad against Augsburg. The captain then stepped back onto the pitch against Manchester after 173 days out with injury when he came on for Ramy Bensebaini in the 66th minute. “He was injured for a long time, so we gave him a few minutes. He did well,” said Kovac.

The oppositionBVB last played a Bundesliga match against HSV at the Volksparkstadion eight years ago: on 20 September 2017, the Black & Yellows won thanks to goals from Shinji Kagawa, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Christian Pulisic. “What we’ve been missing all these years as HSV fans are these moments and games. When you read: HSV vs. Borussia Dortmund at 15:30 in a sold-out Volksparkstadion – that’s just awesome and the anticipation is huge,” says Hamburg coach Merlin Polzin, who led the club back to the Bundesliga last summer. The promoted team have recently suffered three defeats in a row (in Cologne, against Wolfsburg and in Leipzig).

“HSV have arrived in the league. The two games they won, they won at home in the Volkspark,” emphasises Kovac. “I know the atmosphere very well and I know for sure that it will be a heated atmosphere. It will be a festival for the fans.” For his team, that means “we not only have to play against 11 players, but also against the majority of the stadium, of course. We’re certainly in for a tough battle.”

Niko Kovac's returnThe BVB coach played for Hamburger SV from 1999 to 2001. In 55 Bundesliga appearances for the club, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists. He was one of the protagonists in their 4-4 draw against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League in September 2000 and was also invited to the HSV recent event marking the 25th anniversary of the match. “The connection to HSV is still good. I still have a connection to one or two people,’ said Kovac. ‘My daughter was born in Hamburg. So I have very nice ties to HSV and Hamburg, not only in terms of sport, but also in terms of family.”Christina Reinke